Did you know City Museum in St. Louis, MO is a place where families can crawl through a cavern, climb a treehouse, swing on a rope and ride a Ferris wheel? City Museum is completely packed with amazing things for kids and families to do. Kidding Around Owner, Bethany, was in St. Louis with her family and they visited City Museum. She’s sharing their experience and everything they loved about the museum. We’re pretty sure you’ll want to plan your own trip to St. Louis after seeing what they got to do.
At a driveable 10 hours from Greenville, St. Louis, Missouri is definitely a city to put on your family vacation bucket list. While it might seem like the Arch and its history is the most obvious reason to visit St. Louis, we discovered that St. Louis is also home to City Museum, a museum so brilliantly unique and fun that your kids will beg you to return just to play again. Billed as a “city within a city”, City Museum offers play and exploration like no other place.
Two artists Bob and Gail Cassily purchased an old shoe warehouse in St. Louis in the 1990s with the goal of creating it into a “city within a city”. This city has grown and developed over the past decades to include multiple floors and outdoor spaces open for exploration. The spaces include numerous tunnel systems, slides, and recycled city items such as planes, vehicles, and even items such as a giant pipe organ that still plays and a bank vault.
Some of our Favorite Spots in City Museum
City Museum is massive with 4 explorable floors, a cave system (yes, you read that right), an outdoor city, and a rooftop. We aren’t even sure if we saw everything on our visit and some features such as the famous ball pits were still closed due to Covid, but these were our favorite spots during our visit.
Caves and Shoe Shafts
The basement area of City Museum features a complete cave system including small shafts that you can crawl (belly wiggle) through. Just like a cave, don’t expect lights in the tunnels and expect it to feel a little tight if you are an adult. Needless to say, kids find this cave system delightful. We even saw kids hiding in little dark caves so that they could scare unsuspecting adults.
Monstrocity
This outdoor city featured tunnels and climbing structures as well as several iconic structures including castle towers, a couple of real planes in the air, trams (mostly for exhausted adults to rest in), and slides. As an adult, I was able to follow my kids around, but that did involve climbing into quite a few very small structures and even some crawling to get through tunnels. There are some heights in this area but they are easy to avoid if your child prefers to stay closer to the ground.
Skateless Park
Think parkour at its finest, this area of City Museum has ramps, rope swings, and more for kids that want to jump and run.
Treehouse
This giant indoor treehouse contains tunnels, an overhead exploration area, slides, and climbing areas.
Pinball Arcade
Find a collection of antique pinball and arcade machines that all still take a quarter. One thing that surprised me was that all of the games seemed to be in working order.
10-Story Slide
I did not personally go down the 10-story slide, but my kids did. Word of mouth is that you should wear slippery pants if you want to enjoy the slides to their fullest. The 10-story slide is just the longest slide too, there are also shorter slides and fast slides throughout the museum.
Rooftop
Currently, you have to purchase an additional ticket for a time slot to access the roof. The roof features a couple of fun slides, a real bus, and a working Ferris wheel. It was fairly hot on the roof and the line for the Ferris wheel was long, but I’m glad we got tickets because it was a special experience to see the city from that view.
There is also:
A massive bug collection
An art collection
An aquarium
Toddler Town
A Circus
A mirror hall
A puking pig installation
And much more
Tips for Visiting City Museum
We only visited once but we did learn a couple of things from our first visit.
City Museum suggests writing your phone number on your kids. The museum is very large and there are a lot of places for children to quickly end up out of view.
The outdoor areas can be very warm. Bring water or plan on purchasing water while you are there.
This is not the museum to assume that you can just sit on a bench and watch your kids. It’s a large area and if you want to have any idea where your kids are you probably should plan on spending a good bit of your day crawling and climbing around like a kid. Of course, the older your kids are the easier it is to just let them go have fun. I would not recommend this museum to parents of children young enough to completely wander off unless you are nimble enough to keep up or know that your kid will be okay sticking to the areas within sight.
Due to the tunnels, etc. I would also recommend keeping your personal possessions light. This is not a great space to even have a backpack on if you want to have fun. I had a light cross-over purse that held my phone and wallet that was perfect.
You will want to wear closed-toed shoes and clothes to climb in. My child that had pants on was hot but I do think if the weather was a bit cooler that pants would protect your legs much better than shorts. Pants would also work on the slides better.
Bring quarters for the arcade games.
Purchase your tickets ahead of time online to get 10% off. The rooftop tickets, which are $8, can be purchased onsite at the gate. If weather cancels your turn on the roof, you will not get a refund so earlier times would be best in the summer to avoid afternoon thunderstorms.
Parking is $10 near the museum.
We ate at Medina Grill near the museum after our visit and highly recommend it as a great place to eat!
Ticket Prices:
Single-day tickets start at $20 per person
Group tickets (groups of 15-99 people) start at $14.50 per person
It’s true, I like the planning nearly as much as I like the traveling. Well. I don’t know if that is entirely true. The point is, I love planning trips. I like looking at maps and measuring distances and thinking of ways to make the road trip fun. I like looking up funky road side attractions and making lists of where we could stop for the best BBQ in Nashville or the most delicious dessert in Kansas City.
Some people start to think about spring and summer vacations and trips during those long winter months and darker days. Me? I think about them all the time.
Our trip to Lost Valley Ranch
And thinking about summer trips makes me think about the ranch that my family fell in love with last summer. (This picture looks all postcard and unreal – but – you guys, it is SO for real. Just my little iPhone’s camera and it was THIS beautiful.)
I’m not actually sure I ever did its beauty and charm full justice through my blog posts, but I wanted to try again to share our ranch experience. And to tell you, if you’re thinking about visiting this summer, you should be making your reservation already.
From the minute we arrived at Lost Valley Ranch, we felt welcomed and celebrated, like royalty or something. (And that is how they treat everyone who crosses the cattle guard.)
It’s all the little things at Lost Valley Ranch
Your name and a personal message on your door’s chalkboard.
The Keurig stoked with hot cocoa, tea and coffee in our cabin.
The logs stacked carefully to build a cozy fire with a fire starter and matches and a log with the LVL emblem burned into it.
Nightlights scattered around the cabin.
Turn down service every single night. Seriously! While we enjoyed a delicious dinner, fairy elves were in our cabin, setting the extra pillows to the side, turning down the covers and leaving a little chocolate treat on the pillows.
Beds made every single morning. Yes! While we enjoyed a fantastic breakfast with many options, those same fairy elves were in our cabin, making our beds, tidying our space and doing all the hard work for us.
Flashlights in the cabin – just in case.
Quality soaps and a sewing kit and lotion you actually want to use.
Homemade fresh cookies available every minute of every day in the lobby area with the giant leather seats and the comfy couches.
Their hospitality is a gigantic part of the beautiful service of the week at the ranch.
The first night the ranch owner is welcoming us all and the kids and I are grinning non-stop, happy to have arrived at the end of this dusty road and happy to be free from distractions and chores and responsibilities. Tony says in his welcome, like I wrote before, “Beyond these cattle guards, we know you’ve got issues and problems and struggles – but this week, let us handle them all. Let us feed you and let your cell phones not work and let us take care of you.” Words like that can make a mama like me cry genuine tears of relief and hope.
Lost Valley Ranch is sort of like a family summer camp. Kind of. It’s all inclusive, which aids the relaxation and no pressure attitude of the ranch. Once you’ve paid your price you are good to go. (I mean, obviously if you want to buy souvenirs at the Trading Post, you’ll need to spend more money, but you know what I mean. You’re not paying extra for horse rides or meals or whatnot.) Each evening a cute newspaper is waiting in your cabin with the next day’s activities and weather forecast and anything else you might need to know.
After breakfast with your family, where you can sit with other ranch guests, and you can plan your day. Kids are divided by age and head out to the corral to go on a ride. You – the grown up – can go on a ride in the morning. Or, you cannot. You can learn to fly fish or skeet shot or you can hike a mountain, soak in one of the several hot tubs or hang out in your cabin all quiet and cozy like. Also, if your kids don’t want to ride horses that day, no problem. They don’t have to. At lunch you meet back up with the kids and have lunch with all the other guests.
There was a touch of the element of a get-to-know-you mixer at first, but since everyone is pretty much on their A Game – kids happy, no cooking required, no distractions – it was fun to meet and chat with the other guests. Lots and lots of them were long time fans of the ranch and many had been visiting with their families for years and years, summer after summer. (I did struggle the first few days remembering who was who – especially when people look so very different when they switch from baseball caps to cowboy hats.)
At every meal, when the waitrii (that’s the name they call themselves) ask you about the next meal’s options (it’s always food, food, food there – SO many delicious meals), you should always choose half and half. That is – half of each option. “Would you like to try the salmon or the fiesta salad or half of each?” It never mattered what they offered, I always answered, “Half of each, please.”
In the afternoon the schedule looked much the same. Kids can ride with their wranglers and kids their age. Adults can do the same. Or not. As for our gang, we all rode every day. Otto awoke each morning, “Mom, I get to ride today – right?”
The flexibility was phenomenal. All the good choices all day long. Ride or not ride. Hike or hot tub. Southwestern salad or pulled pork. Fly fishing or target shooting.
The evenings have a lovely rhythm and routine too. One night there’s a square dance. One night a melodrama that was equal parts quirky and goofy and the kids found it hilarious and it was loads of fun. One night there’s a cookout down at the “jail” and we all ride hay covered wagons and watch the most amusing night of sing alongs and talent show style entertainment. One evening the teens get their own campfire and late night experience. There’s a guest rodeo the last day and a wrangler rodeo the first day. Sand volleyball is available and swimming and lounging poolside and chatting with your horse – the one you get assigned the first day and make buddies with through the week.
All good things must come to an end
It’s such a great week that the crash when you leave Sunday morning is actually physically painful. I mean, if you are my family, anyway.
It sounds like a cliche, but we actually made friends at the ranch that we’ve stayed in contact with throughout the year, friends that we’ve actually visited with since that summer trip. Like a magical summer camp for grown-ups and kids too, it’s a ranch paradise in all the best ways.
Oh you guys, just writing about Lost Valley Ranch makes me itch to break out my cowboy boots and hop in the car, and start that long journey all over again.
About Lost Valley Ranch
Lost Valley Ranch 29555 Goose Creek Rd Sedalia, Colorado, CO 80135 303.647.2311
Ready for a day trip? Local mom Lacey Keigley and her family visited Flat Rock, NC. In this review, she is sharing insight on what not to miss if you visit Flat Rock with your family! It’s smaller than an amusement park, but it’s loads more fun. Just over the mountain, a short drive north of Travelers Rest, it’s an easy, beautiful drive. It’s a perfect place to spend a day.
Looking for even more travel ideas? Check out our travel page!
Buy a scone, a muffin, or a danish and coffee or tea and dine on the back deck under the branches of a fabulous tree that grows up and around and right through the deck.
Park your car and breathe in the fresh air. Wander up the lovely trail that takes you up to the Nobel Prize-winning author’s last home. Take a tour of his home – it’s only $10 for adults and $1 for kids under 15 years old, and it’s absolutely worth it to see a snapshot of his life, left as if he might be entering his old study at any moment.
If you’ve got energy and time on your side, take a hike that begins behind the home, near the adorable barn teeming with goats who are direct descendants of Sandburg’s wife’s prized goat herd. Little Glassy has a view completely worth the manageable trek. Very family-friendly. When you reach the giant rock and take a break, you can pull out one of your new books and read for a little bit on the mountain top.
Open 10 am – 4 pm daily.
Head right back to where you started for lunch. (And after your hike, you’ve earned your lunch.)
For lunch, we chose a local BBQ hot spot. Friends, you just won’t find tastier BBQ in North Carolina. Sure, they have great fish tacos and delicious sides (try their deviled eggs and potato salad) but it’s their classic BBQ that draws the crowds. You pick pork or chicken and then you add your own sauce choice. (I lean to the vinegar variety, but you’ve got options and none of them are bad.)
Open at 11 am daily. Closed on Sundays.
(If your kids just aren’t into BBQ, you can order a pizza from Flat Rock Village Bakery and let them have that. The seating is all outdoors and is combined in a convenient way with the bakery so it’s no problem to grab options from both restaurants.)
The Wrinkled Egg
After eating and drinking and feeling satisfied, step upstairs to The Wrinkled Egg – an endearing shop filled with quirky souvenirs, home decor, eclectic design, local art, and even a pet rabbit who loves to be petted, along with a few beautiful songbirds. Kids and grown-ups will quickly call this store their favorite.
Open 10 am – 5:30 pm most days.
SkyTop Orchard
If you happen to be visiting Flat Rock in late summer or fall you will want to drive back in the direction you came for a millisecond and turn right and head up to SkyTop Orchard.
You can’t beat the views and the apple picking is convenient and feels perfectly autumnal. If you have room remaining, you can dessert on fresh apple cider donuts and cold apple slushes – or warm apple cider, depending upon the weather and your mood. Either way, you won’t be disappointed. The kids can have a hayride, visit the animals, wander through the bamboo forest, or romp on the playsets. And you get to take him the best reminder of your day out – fresh North Carolina hand-picked apples! Before you go, be sure to read our tips for apple picking with kids!
Open 9 am – 5 pm daily until Labor Day Weekend and then 9 am – 6 pm until after DST ends.
Evening in Flat Rock
Flat Rock Wood Room
If you still have time, money, and inclination, stay for dinner and eat at the Flat Rock Wood Room.
Open until 8 or 9 pm most nights, closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Enjoy a movie or live theatre
You can catch a movie at the neatest local theatre – Flat Rock Cinema – with shows every day at 3 pm and 6:30 pm. (Closed Mondays.) You can order popcorn, but they also serve BBQ and full menu options.
You can even take in a live theatre show at North Carolina’s State Theatre – Flat Rock Playhouse.
That’s a full day packed and overloaded with all the good things the fabulous little town of Flat Rock has to offer you.
It may be small in size, but it is full and wide in charm and activity.
What is your favorite thing to do when visiting Flat Rock, NC?
Kayak Hilton Head let us join one of their boat tours this summer for an amazing experience on the water. Kristina shares all about what to expect and why this particular place is excellent for your next family adventure on the coast.
Media tickets were given so we could write about Kayak Hilton Head.
I grew up near the ocean but never got to see dolphins, or really any other cool wildlife, up close until I started visiting the South Carolina coast. And wow, the beaches in the state are just beautiful. But then I learned all about salt marshes and the uniqueness of this kind of environment and was blown away! I’ve done amazing dolphin cruises in Hilton Head Island but I am a huge fan of kayaking and wanted to get just a tad bit closer to the dolphins and birds and salt marshes.
So I went on a two-hour kayak tour with Kayak Hilton Head. To say the experience was unforgettable is an understatement. If any of you followed our Instagram story on the kayak tour, you can plainly hear I lost my mind upon seeing dolphins up close. Sorry. I was excited.
Experience Matters: Kayak Hilton Head
Kayak Hilton Head is owned by a gracious and chill guy named Dave. He has been running the company for almost 20 years. And he used to work for Disney’s Hilton Head resort, so finding things to entertain kids comes naturally. That kind of experience is worth it when it comes to learning about the area, the salt marshes, and the incredible wildlife and creatures that inhabit it.
The guided tours take place at Broad Creek, a tidal creek that rises and falls with the tide. It’s a protected area far from the open ocean which means you likely won’t be dealing with high winds and waves – or big sharks. The salt marshes provide habitats for everything from dolphins to manatees to minks to vast oyster beds and all kinds of cool birds. We got to see a Rosa Spoonbill, a pink bird with a beak that looks like a spoon, which it uses to scoop out food from shallow waters. So cool.
Our guide for the morning kayak tour we went on was Mary, a resident of the island. Mary not only provided an informative narrative tour as we were kayaking but answered our questions about literally everything from how the docks are built to the life cycle of oysters to the best restaurants on the island. She was awesome.
My nine-year-old daughter and I did the tour together and I felt like we were on the best field trip ever – which I’m totally counting as homeschooling.
We learned about the Loggerhead Turtles and how they travel the world but always come back home to lay their eggs (and how a teacher once tried to take a nest off the island – it didn’t end well).
We learned about how stone crabs are harvested for their meat by taking off one claw and then letting the crab go free because the claw grows back, which is why, if you see a stone crab, they will almost always have lopsided claws.
We learned about the harvesting and growth of oysters as well as the island’s history of being occupied during the Civil War by Union soldiers, who used the salt grass to wrap and preserve the fish they caught.
And all of the learning was happening while we paddled along, with plenty of space between all of us in the group, in the beautiful water in the salt marsh.
What We Saw: Our Two Hour Kayak Tour with Kayak Hilton Head
Yes, we got to see dolphins. And it was amazing. All throughout high school I wanted to be a marine biologist. I wanted to swim with dolphins. I wanted to be a dolphin trainer. If it had to do with dolphins, I was in. While none of those paths were in my future, my love of dolphins remains and it’s such a ridiculous joy to see these creatures.
One dolphin surfaced right between my kayak and our guide, Mary, surprising us for a second. She told us that many dolphins are recognizable by locals by their unique markings on their dorsal fins. Of course, I wanted to see all the dolphins and learn each one’s name. But we had run out of time on our tour. It went by fast!
As much as I loved the dolphins, I wasn’t expecting to be wow’d by all of the other wildlife we saw. As mentioned above, we got to see the pink Rosa Spoonbill. Mary was really excited to see that bird so I figured it must be extra special.
We saw lots of little spider crabs, egrets, herons, and jumping minnows. And everything we learned from Mary was just fascinating. The paddling was leisurely as we glided peacefully through the water, just observing the world around us.
It was easy to forget life for a while, to just enjoy the quiet morning and beauty that surrounded us.
What You Need to Know About Kayak Hilton Head
You’re on the water and outdoors controlling your own boat. Even if you have zero kayaking experience, it’s not hard to paddle away from someone if you want.
If you’re looking for a good outdoor activity, this is it.
Also, you are provided with a life jacket and paddle so no need to bring your own unless you want to. They have a basket on land to keep your keys (which I suggest you use – don’t want to lose your keys accidentally in the water). If you want to bring your phone or camera, maybe have a wet bag with you or something waterproof to put them in. I had no problems doing that in our kayak.
And bring water. It’s hot out there and water is essential. My daughter and I both wore hats and sunscreen as well, which certainly helped us stay cooler and of course, prevent sunburn.
Kayak Hilton Head has both double and single kayaks, which is perfect for families. My daughter and I were in a double kayak together. I own a sturdy sit-on-top kayak so I was a little nervous to use a sit-in kayak but I soon figured out my worrying was futile. Our kayak was a Wilderness double kayak, one of the best on the market. It was sturdy and solid and a really easy boat to paddle.
Check-in is 30 minutes prior to your tour time, which gives you enough time to get your gear, use the restroom, and have a Paddle 101 lesson from your guide. We paddled with a cute family who had two little kids, a mom, and a grandma. This grandma had never paddled before in her life but she was a rock star five minutes into our tour. Don’t worry if you’ve never kayaked before. If grandma can do it, so can you.
Booking a Tour
Kayak Hilton Head books tours all day every day during peak season in summer. Typically, summer kayak tours run at 8 am, 10:45 am, 2:30 pm, and 5:45 pm. Spring and fall tours are usually 9 am, 11:30 am, 2:30 pm, and 5:30 pm. Reservations must be made in advance.
Dave will tell you the best time to kayak is at 8 am. It’s relatively cooler at that time of day and you have a better chance of seeing dolphins. Seeing dolphins isn’t guaranteed on every tour though. They are wild animals and don’t have a schedule!
If you reserve your tour online, the cost is $39/adult and $20/child (12 and under). If you don’t reserve online, it’s $49/adult and $40/child.
Kayak Hilton Head does not have a minimum age to come on the tours and they leave it up to the parents. Just be aware that there is no place to stop on the kayak tour and jump out and stretch your legs or let the kids run around. They will be confined the whole time to your boat.
If you’re looking for other boat tours, Kayak Hilton Head has a shark fishing tour, a sunset cruise, and a beachcombing expedition.
Do you have goals to hike up to Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about three hours from Greenville, SC? Read on to plan your epic hike!
Hiking to Mt. LeConte Lodge, the third highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, was a goal of mine for awhile and it was during the middle of June, when I took my daughters to see the incredible synchronous fireflies, that we made it happen the first time. We’ve gone back again but it did take some bribery, which I’ll tell you about shortly.
Long story short: totally worth the effort to hike!
Mt. LeConte is the only place that we know of in the country where you can hike up over 6,000 feet, buy a commemorative hat or t-shirt, and purchase a sack lunch. My daughters, ages 13 and 9, will tell you that’s exactly the reason they agreed to the difficult hike. It’s amazing what bribery will get you.
Mt. LeConte sits at 6,593 feet above sea level. Mt. LeConte Lodge has several cabins and a dining room for guests who are lucky enough to score a reservation and make the hard trek up to check-in.
The Lodge itself is rustic but really cool. I have not stayed there but know many people who have and they all say what an amazing experience it is. There are trails to hike around at the top if you somehow have any energy left after making it up there. Hiking to Mt. LeConte is easily one of those bucket list hikes in the Smoky Mountains for its beauty, views, and overall coolness.
Hiking to Mt. LeConte
There are several ways to get up to Mt. LeConte but both times we hiked it, we did Alum Cave to Mt. LeConte, about 5.5 miles one way. I like this trail because it’s shaded so it’s not hot in the summer and it’s the shortest route up. The views are also pretty awesome and you get to go past Alum Cave, which is such a neat place to visit and rest awhile with its high, arched rock and sandy bottom. It took us three hours to get up there but this timetable very much depends on your own abilities. It’s a hard hike with more than 2,700 feet of elevation gain. Definitely know your limits and the limits of those you are hiking with before tackling this trail. Rescues happen here not infrequently.
Scenes from the hike
There are six trails to reach the summit, including Alum Cave:
Rainbow Falls – 6.7 miles one way
Bullhead- 6.9 miles one way
The Boulevard – 8.1 miles one way
Brushy Mountain – 9.1 miles one way
Trillium Gap – 6.7 miles one way
All of these are not easy trails and be prepared for snow and ice into early May and starting in September. Follow LeConte Lodge on social media to see current conditions and plan your trip accordingly.
About Mt. LeConte Lodge
Mt. LeConte Lodge was actually built and conceived before the Great Smoky Mountains became a national park. Construction began on the lodge, which sits at 6,593 feet high, in 1925 and was run by Gatlinburg mountaineer Jack Huff and his family until 1960. In fact, many of the buildings that he constructed still stand today at the lodge.
From 1960-1975, horses were commonly used at the lodge to get provisions up and down the mountain. Horses are no longer used. Instead, llamas make the trek three times a week!
The famous llamas weren’t used until after 1976 and to this day, if you’re lucky, you can catch the llama train heading up to Mt. LeConte with food, bedding, and other provisions Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the season when the lodge is open. I got to see them one time when we were hiking to Grotto Falls and they are super cool and chill. I’m certain I annoyed the llama wranglers with all my questions but now I have a goal to be one of those wranglers when my kids grow up and I can move to the Smokies for a season and hike with llamas! The llamas use the Trillium trail to get up to Mt. LeConte Lodge and back down.
Today, ownership of the lodge is through a limited partnership with Tim Line, the longest serving steward of the Lodge, and Stokely Hospitality Enterprises, which operates several restaurants in Sevier and Knox counties in Tennessee.
Made it!
I have not stayed at the lodge because 1) it is very hard to get reservations, and 2) it’s not an inexpensive endeavor. 2024 rates start at $100 for kids ages 4-12 and $184 per night for adults, which include lodging, dinner, and breakfast. Perhaps one day I can cross it off my list but for now, I’ll be content to be a day hiker and buy t-shirts and refill my water bottle there.
Reservations for the 2025 season, which is usually late March through November depending on weather, open up in the fall of 2024. If you follow the Lodge on X, you may be able to snag a last minute booking because someone canceled.
The Sack Lunch & T-Shirt
Every year, there is a new t-shirt design for hikers to purchase that says “I hiked it.” My daughters and I each have two of these and we have now decided to start a collection. It’s a challenging collection but that’s the fun of it!
Day hikers can also purchase a Sack Lunch, which my daughters and I have deemed a “Snack Lunch” due to the array of snacks that are in the lunch and that my kids are hobbits and will do anything for snacks. Sack Lunches are $14 each and contain a bagel, cream cheese packet, beef and pork stick, fruit leather or fruit snack, trail mix, Oreos, and a Gatorade drink packet.
The 2024 LeConte Lodge t-shirt
There’s a water pump at the lodge, which is very useful since you’ll probably need a refill. And while there are pit toilets there, they are probably the smelliest toilets I have ever encountered in my entire life.
The Lodge gift shop is open 9-10 am and Noon-4:30 pm on the dot. I know this because we got up to the Lodge at 10:02 am and it was closed. We hung out and hiked to Cliff Tops to pass the time, which was totally fine because it was a beautiful day!
Tips on Hiking to Mt. LeConte
No pets allowed: pets are only allowed on two trails within the boundaries of the national park. This isn’t one of them so don’t bring your pet.
Get to the Alum Cave parking lot early: the lot will fill up by 7 am most days and then you’ll have to park further down the street or nowhere at all. Have a backup plan to hike another trail if you can’t find parking.
Know your limitations: this trail is hard. We’ve hiked with our kids but they are great hikers and have done harder trails. There are hundreds of other trails in the park that are easier if you need to build up endurance.
Plan your day: the Alum Cave trail took us around 8.5 hours both times (that was with stopping for lunch and waiting for the gift shop to open). The other trails will probably take even longer so plan accordingly if you’ll be coming down, or going up, in the dark and use headlamps.
Bring enough water, food, and a first aid kit: this is standard for any hike. Be prepared.
Be sure to have your parking sticker: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park requires cars parked longer than 15 minutes to have a parking sticker. They are $5/day, $15/week, or $40/year and can be purchased at Visitor Centers and kiosks around the park.
Directions to the trail from the National Park Service: Drive 8.6 miles on Newfound Gap Road from Sugarlands Visitor Center or 20 miles from Oconaluftee Visitor Center. There is a sign and two large parking areas marking the trailhead.
Are you looking for the perfect, uncrowded beach for this summer? We visited Jekyll Island, Georgia. Here’s what we experienced plus recommendations on what to do and where to eat on the island.
Despite all the media coverage of crowded beaches, in the Southeast, there are great choices of beach towns that you can visit where crowding is not an issue. Jekyll Island, Georgia is one of these pristine, unspoiled beach towns where you can relax and recharge in a quiet setting while still having access to entertainment options. The main island activities include enjoying the numerous beaches, biking, and eating great food. For families looking for additional entertainment, Jekyll Island also offers mini-golf, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, historic tours, a waterpark, and more.
Our lodging was courtesy of Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island.We were also provided complimentary tickets to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
Find a place to stay in Jekyll Island, GA. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
Traveling to Jekyll Island from the Upstate
Jekyll Island is part of the barrier islands on the southern Georgia coast known as the Golden Isles. It took us about 5 hours to travel to Jekyll Island from the Upstate. Our trip took us through Columbia and then along the South Carolina/Georgia coast.
Jekyll Island is a Georgia State Park, and vehicles are charged a $10 daily parking fee or you can purchase an annual parking pass for $100. You only have to pay the fee when you enter the island. You can purchase your parking pass here.
What Is There to Do on Jekyll Island?
Georgia Sea Turtle Center
When we started telling friends that we were headed to Jekyll Island, one of the top recommendations of “things to do” was to visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. This turtle rehabilitation center offers a public glimpse of sea turtles and conservation efforts. While there, you can visit the sea turtle hospital where the turtle patients are recovering and you might even get to watch a turtle surgery or medical procedure take place from the observation area.
Right now the center is limiting guests due to COVID-19, which may result in a wait to get in. We were told that 2 pm was a quieter time but we still experienced a 30-minute wait to enter the building at that time. You do not have to wait in line but do need to wait close enough to the entrance to hear your name called.
While signage was posted encouraging guests to social distance, limit numbers in particular buildings, and the staff wore masks, we did find that a large percentage of guests were not wearing masks or observing signage. Part of the tour is in an open-air facility but you must walk through a gift shop and museum room to get there. More vulnerable guests may want to consider these factors as they plan their visit.
The center also offers guided sea turtle walks in the morning and evening.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort on Jekyll Island. You can read our full review below, but one of the biggest perks was that the resort had beach front directly in front of the property. Choosing lodging that has beachfront access will allow you to avoid more crowded public beaches though during our visit even the public beaches did not look overly crowded.
You will also find a number of public beaches on the island and several have unique features.
Driftwood Beach
Near the north end of the island, Driftwood Beach is a beautiful spot that is famous for its marine forest driftwood from years of erosion. You can walk up and down the beach front and explore the many trees. We also saw quite a bit of wildlife from little crabs to interesting beach bugs.
Also, this area is adjacent to a paved path that leads through the salt marsh and is also quite scenic.
This beach is a great area for photos and our readers recommend seeing it at sunrise.
Sharktooth Beach
As you might guess, Sharktooth Beach is a great place to find shark teeth and also see other wildlife. Go at low tide if you want the best chance of finding interesting treasures.
Jekyll Island Oceanview Beach Park
Described as peaceful and uncrowded the Oceanview Beach Park also has air-conditioned bathrooms, changing rooms, and showers.
Great Dunes Pavilion
This beach is a great place swim, see local wildlife, and has a large sandbar. Outdoor showers, bathrooms, and changing rooms are available and mini-golf and bike rentals are just a short walk away.
St. Andrews Beach
St. Andrews Beach is a great place to see dolphins and another spot on the island where you can find driftwood. In addition, near the picnic area you will find The Wanderer Memorial that remembers the lives of 400 illegally imported slaves.
Biking at Jekyll Island
There are approximately 25 miles of bike trails and most of the beaches and parts of the island are easily accessible by bike. Many of the hotels offer adult bike rentals, but you can also find children’s bikes and other types of bikes such as dual bikes at the Jekyll Island Bike Barn (912.635.2648). We did learn that it’s best to rent early in the day rather than wait as sometimes the bike rentals do run out. Learn more here.
Summer Waves Water Park
Jekyll Island’s water park has multiple water slides, a lazy river, and a children’s splash zone. Tickets are currently $28/day. Tickets for Children (3 and under) are $2.50 and come with a swim diaper which is required for the park.
Mosiac, Jekyll Island Museum is a history museum that also offers tours of the historic district. On the island, there are significant remains and restored homes that you can either drive by or even tour, including the Horton House, the remains of an 18th century tabby house and the Indian Mound Cottage which was owned by the Rockefeller family in the early 1900s.
Tons to Do on Jekyll Island
These are just a sampling of the many activities available on the island. Families can also enjoy mini-golf or golfing, horseback riding, exploring the parks and trails on the interior of the island, or attending wildlife exploration trips such as a gator trip or dolphin tour. In addition, Jekyll Island is part of the Golden Isles and the surrounding islands are close enough to explore.
Where to Stay on Jekyll Island
Holiday Inn Resort at Jekyll Island
Our trip was courtesy of the Holiday Inn Resort of Jekyll Island. We loved that the resort had outdoor entrances to every room, ocean views in every room, and double rooms with sleeping quarters. The resort was also right on the beach and had multiple beach access points. We have written a full review that includes more information on our stay.
Camping on Jekyll Island
Many of our readers recommended the Jekyll Island Campground. The campground offers both full hook-up sites and primitive sites and is within walking distance to the Clam Creek picnic area and Driftwood Beach.
There are also plenty of other hotel options and short-term rentals on the island. We recommend considering the proximity to bike rental options (or onsite bike rental) and the beaches for your stay. We did notice as we roamed the island that not all of the beaches were accessible at high tide.
Where to Eat on Jekyll Island
These are the restaurants we enjoyed during our stay:
The Beach House at Holiday Inn Resort at Jekyll Island
Whether or not you stay at the Holiday Inn Resort, you can dine at their on-site restaurant, The Beach House. We were happy with the wide range of options on the menu, reasonable pricing, and outdoor seating options. Kids, 11 and under eat free with a paying adult.
Have you visited Glenn Springs, SC? This historic community was once known for its healing mineral spring and historic figures who were known to visit the spring. You can explore the area on foot with a hike or a driving tour. Kidding Around Contributor, Liene, visited with her family. From animals along the trail, to historic buildings and stories of the area; here’s what they discovered in Glenn Springs, SC.
Holiday Inn Resort at Jekyll Island is the perfect vacation. It provides a place where you can truly escape and relax.
Our trip was courtesy of Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island in 2020. This article has been updated with current information.
Are you looking for more fun things to do in Georgia? Check out our Georgia Travel Guide.
Traveling to Jekyll Island from the Upstate
Jekyll Island is part of the barrier islands on the southern Georgia coast known as the Golden Isles. It took us about 5 hours to travel to Jekyll Island from the Upstate. Our trip took us through Columbia and then along the South Carolina/Georgia coast.
Jekyll Island is a Georgia State Park, and vehicles are charged an $10 daily parking fee. You only have to pay the fee when you enter the island.
Our Stay at Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island
Holiday Inn Resort is located right at the coast and offers beach front access directly in front of the hotel.
Each room has outdoor access and individual air conditioner units.
The hotel is structured where every room has a double room with an ocean room seating area and balcony/patio and a bedroom. Some of the rooms even have family set-ups with bunk beds. I love double rooms because I have kids and it’s so nice to have enough space to put the kids to bed earlier than adults. Both rooms had TVs.
When we arrived I was excited to find a full-size fridge with a freezer. It’s so nice to be able to pack sandwich supplies to keep kids full and happy at the beach. The room even had dishes, a couple of pots and pans, and a portable stove unit. It wasn’t anything fancy but enough that you could also bring food to cook a simple stove-top dinner instead of going out if you wanted.
Our room was very clean on arrival. They offer daily housekeeping services.
The Beach Front at Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island
One fabulous thing about staying at the Holiday Inn Resort is that there is a good deal of beach front right in front of the hotel. We found the beach to be delightfully uncrowded during our stay. There was enough room for almost everyone to have their own beach front area. Even taking into account the additional guests on the weekends, to me it looked like there was enough space to not be crowded.
Other Amenities at Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island
The property had a playground, pool, outdoor fire pit, and a workout room.
Chair and umbrella rentals are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. You are allowed to bring your own shade structures on the beach as well.
Adult bike rentals are available at the resort. You can also rent bikes from other vendors on the island if you need other sizes. While most of the rental places were not open on weekdays during our trip, they are now open each day.
The Beach House Restaurant at Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island
We ate two complimentary meals at The Beach House Restaurant. Kids eat free at the restaurant for all meals.
The prices were reasonable and the staff was friendly.
Our food was delicious on both the breakfast and the dinner menu. We tried a variety of foods from traditional chicken fingers and chips to salads.
The restaurant is on the property and is within easy walking distance from all of the rooms.
You can find a full list of places to visit (including the scenic Driftwood Beach), where to eat, and tons of fun things to do in our full article about Jekyll Island.
Do you have a favorite place to stay at Jekyll Island? We would love to hear about it in the comments.
Inside: A real review of one local mom’s visit with her kids to Tallulah Gorge State Park.
Tallulah Gorge State Park is a natural wonder in Georgie that families will really enjoy. With gorgeous hiking, waterfalls, swimming holes, and more, the park is full of the stuff that amazing and memorable day trips are made of, so get packing. Kristina tells us all about how to enjoy this beautiful Georgia State Park, what to expect, and even where to grab something to eat.
Day Trip to Tallulah Gorge
It’s a day trip! Getting to Tallulah Gorge State Park, approximate driving time from:
Charlotte, NC 3 hours
Greenville, SC 90 minutes
Atlanta, GA 90 minutes
Columbia, SC just under 3 hours
Where to Stay Near Tallulah Gorge
Planning to stay awhile? If you’re planning a family vacation or weekend getaway, here’s where to stay near Tallulah Gorge State Park. Note: Kidding Around earns when you book through this link via an affiliate relationship with STAY22.
Tallulah Gorge State Park is only 90 minutes from Greenville yet seems a world apart when you get to the vast gorge. I had no idea a place like this existed. I was researching some hiking trails and wanted to stay within a certain driving distance and decided to check this place out. I wasn’t disappointed! The park is very unique and I’ve got all the info you need to know before you visit this nearby wonder.
View from the North Rim looking out over Sliding Rock
History of the Tallulah Gorge State Park
The land at Tallulah Falls was originally inhabited by the Cherokee, who called it Ugunyi, and they lived there until white settlers appeared in 1820. The Cherokee typically avoided the falls and did not hunt there but the white settlers flocked there, inspired by the beauty of the waterfalls through the gorge.
The town of Tallulah Falls became a summer destination for wealthier families, especially once the railroads were laid in the region in 1882 from Atlanta. The town became a resort town and by 1897 it had three churches, hotels, post office, and restaurants, all supported via the tourism industry.
At the turn of the century, power companies began competing for the rights to dam the falls for hydroelectricity. Conservation efforts led by Helen Dortch Longstreet, who saw the possible destruction of the beauty of the gorge happening because of the power companies, laid the groundwork for the state park.
The dam was completed in 1913, which created a lake above the gorge and at the time, supplied North Georgia and Atlanta with electricity. It’s still in operation today but is a smaller component to the electricity grid.
The Georgia Power dam
The state park was created in 1992 and on weekends in the spring, summer, and fall, controlled releases from the dam invite brave kayakers to run the falls a handful of weekends out of the year. Hiking on the gorge floor is prohibited during these releases, the dates of which can be found on the Tallulah Gorge website.
The gorge was formed by the strong currents of the Savannah River, which cut through the rock. It’s about 1,000 feet deep and two miles long.
Hiking at Tallulah Gorge State Park
There are 20 miles of hiking trails at the park and they have everything from strenuous and challenging to leisurely and easy. There are maps everywhere at the gorge and inside the Interpretive Center so be sure to grab one and or take a screenshot.
The North and South rim trails are easy (about 3 miles total for both trails) and the overlooks are stunning. You can see straight down into the gorge and check out all the waterfalls. On the summer day we first visited, the clouds were wisping in and out of the canyon and it was beautiful.
There are signs at each overlook that tells you what you’re looking at. I cannot even imagine how stunning this place must look when the leaves change color in the fall.
The suspension bridge is what you may see photos of when you Google the park. I love suspension bridges and was excited to see this one – my first question to the Park Ranger was how to get to it! It swings 80 feet above the gorge floor and is so beautiful.
But here’s the thing: you have to walk down (and then back up) 620 metal steps. These steps are no joke: they are steep and one of the Rangers told me a lot of rescues happen on these stairs because people think they can do it and then find out they cannot make it back up.
Stairs. Stairs. More stairs.
An important thing to note is that dogs are not allowed on this trail or the Sliding Rock Trail on the gorge floor.
We did the hike down into the gorge to see Hurricane Falls and then back up to the South Rim and headed off to the North Rim for a total of a little over two miles. My kids (ages 11 and 7) and I are experienced hikers and while the stairs were pretty brutal, we didn’t have any issues completing the hike.
One thing to note is that the connection of the North and South rim trails is over a busy highway bridge at the dam. You don’t have to cross the road but you do need to keep a close eye on your kids if you choose this route.
Suspension Bridge
One cool thing on the North Rim trail was the old remnants of the tower that 65-year-old tightrope walker Karl Wallenda used when he took 18 minutes to walk across a steel tightrope on July 18, 1970. Inside the Interpretive Center are photos, a portion of the cable he used, and tickets that were distributed that day. So cool!
I made an Instagram Reel about our visit that you may enjoy.
The Sliding Rock (Gorge Floor) Trail
I hiked the Gorge floor on my second trip to Tallulah Gorge and had read so many reviews of the trail and what to expect. I really try to be prepared and my kids and I all had enough water and snacks and the right hiking shoes.
I did have second thoughts when a Ranger asked me directly, “Do you know how dangerous this is?”. I mean, yes, I had an idea. But of course, hiking it is a whole other beast. Let me tell you how it went.
So, you need to know that there are only 100 permits per day that the park gives out. They are free but they are also in demand. To get one, you need to get to the park at least 30 minutes before they open and wait at the gate. Then you’ll be let in, able to park, and wait in line at the Interpretive Center.
The other variable is weather: if it rained the night before or is raining that morning or the Gorge is releasing water from the dam, they won’t issue a permit. So watch the weather and look at the Gorge website to check the dates of the dam release.
We had camped right at the park the night before and ended up hiking the half mile or so from the campground to the Interpretive Center in the morning and were the very first people in line at 7:20 am (the park opens at 8 am).
About 20 minutes later, the gates must have opened because cars just poured in. By 8 am, there was easily 100 people in line. A ranger came out to tell everyone that if you were wearing Crocs or flip-flops, you wouldn’t get a permit no matter if you were one of the first 100 people in line.
Once the doors opened, the ranger led us and about 50 other people to the bottom floor of the Interpretive Center for a safety class. The ranger had photos of the trail, gave us tips on water crossings and making sure to tell us that Oceana Falls, which looks a little like Bridal Veil (aka Sliding Rock) Falls, was definitely not the right one to swim at because it was “bone-breaking.”
That waterfall was hence known as Bone Breaking Falls to us. See how you remember things?! He told us to make sure we had the right shoes and plenty of water and that this was not a hike for inexperienced hikers or little kids. This class lasted about 15 minutes and then we each got a permit and were on our way.
There are water fountains in the Interpretive Center so we filled our water bottles and headed down the stairs to Hurricane Falls where we would open the permit-only gate and head to the unmarked trail down to Sliding Rock, the only place in the Gorge you are allowed to swim.
The very first water crossing was a doozy. We had three kids ages 8-11 with us who were all experienced hikers, as are my friend and myself who went. My friend ended up getting in the water almost up to her waist halfway through the crossing to help the kids across. I was next in the water and slipped on a rock but caught my balance before tumbling in the water. The kids did awesome. It was so fun!
Then the next mile, which felt like forever, was all over boulders, walking over crevasses and drops, and crab crawling over a sloped rock above Bone Breaking Falls. That last one had me wondering what I had gotten myself into. I’m thankful my hiking boots have a really good grip.
Once we got to Sliding Rock, it was even more fun to slide down the nearly 20-ft waterfall into the pool below. I have a slight fear of doing this but figured this was a bucket list item and headed down, nearly turning my whole body around because apparently I’m awful at sliding down waterfalls. My kids tell me everyone looked over to the waterfall when they heard me scream. I was fine. Totally fine. Promise.
Aren’t I graceful?
The absolute coolest part of this hike for me was swimming in the pool below Sliding Rock and looking up at the sheer cliffs of the gorge above me. It was truly an awesome experience. Getting out of the pool was another challenge since the rocks near the edges were really slippery. We ended up swimming all the way over to the right side of the falls to get out. That’s where you need to go anyways to complete the three-mile loop trail.
That last part is a straight-up rock scramble over 0.25 miles where you gain 800 feet in elevation. It’s hard but as long as you take it slow, you’ll be ok. The whole trail was a lot of fun and the kids had such a blast.
This really isn’t a trail for inexperienced hikers though. Consider your own abilities, and those of whoever will be with you, before you go, and make sure you have the proper footwear and water with you. Always carry a first aid kit as well and just take your time. I’m used to hiking a three-mile trail in a hour and a half usually with my kids. The ranger told us to plan for four hours and he was right on the money. We spent maybe an hour at Sliding Rock and the whole trip took us just over four hours. For some people, they are there all day since it’s a slow go.
The Interpretive Center
I’ve found that visitor centers at parks are truly underrated establishments. My kids and I have learned so much about local areas through just checking out the visitors’ centers wherever we travel. The Interpretive Center at Tallulah Gorge State Park is no exception. This place is a museum in and of itself!
It is two stories with a switchback walkway in the center that has animals, both alive and stuffed, to see and learn about, plus exhibits on the many habitats of the gorge, Cherokee legends, and even a mini-theater that plays a 15-minute movie about the history of the town and state park every half hour.
Interpretive Center
There is an awesome exhibit on the top floor that shows a replica of the town in the 1800s plus tells all about the Native peoples who first inhabited the land, the construction of the dam, the introduction of the railroad, and the history of the resort town.
My kids and I really enjoyed this part and spent about 40 minutes after our hike going through the exhibits and learning all about the animals and history.
Camping at Tallulah Gorge State Park
The state park offers 57 RV, tent, and backcountry sites and you can pick up the trails right from the campground. This would be ideal if you especially want to hike the Sliding Rock Trail since you can be one of the first ones in line since you’re camping there!
Backcountry sites start at $20 and campsites start at $37. I thought the campground was pretty great. There are electrical outlets and water at each site and the bathhouse was really nice!
Tallulah Gorge Full Moon Hikes
This is one thing we did not do but it sounds super cool. The park will open at night so guests can hike down (and back up – remember #stairs) to the suspension bridge to see the full moon. You must register in advance and the admission is $10 in addition to the $5 parking pass. 2024 dates and times are below:
Saturday, July 20th, 2024 at 9 pm
Sunday, August 18th, 2024 at 8:15 pm
Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 at 7:45 pm
Thursday, October 17th, 2024 at 7:15 pm
Friday, November 15th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
Sunday, December 15th, 2024 at 5:45 pm
Tallulah Falls Lake
We saw the beautiful lake during our hike but didn’t visit it. Besides Sliding Rock, it’s the only other place you can swim at the gorge. There’s a sandy beach and picnic area for the enjoyment of guests.
The Ranger told me that if you Google “Tallulah Falls Post Office” and if you look to the right of the Post Office, there is a small area to walk down and drop in your kayak or paddleboard. You could also just drop it in at the beach. The $5 parking pass at the state park covers this lake as well. If you camp at the park, you’ll have a day-use pass you can use here.
Visiting Tallulah Gorge State Park
Admission to the park is a $5 parking fee that can be paid in cash or via an app that you scan the QR code with your phone when you get there.
Dogs are not allowed on the hike down to Hurricane Falls, the suspension bridge, Sliding Rock Trail on the gorge floor, or at the lake whatsoever. Dogs are allowed on leash on the rim trails.
Hours are 8 am – dark and the office is open daily 8 am – 5 pm.
Hurricane Falls
Know your limits and health regarding the trails with the stairs. And bring enough water. There are signs everywhere indicating how difficult it is, and to bring water. We passed a couple of water bottle and water fountain filling stations on the stairs, which were much appreciated. One wasn’t working though so be prepared.
During the summer and busy fall leaf-peeping season, the park will close the gates when they reach capacity, usually pretty early, around 8:30/9 am. So if you want to go, get there when the park opens.
Please exercise Leave No Trace and pack out what you pack in and don’t litter. The park is beautiful but we saw so many discarded plastic water bottles along the stairs and it was so sad. Not only does it take away from the natural, stunning environment but it makes it really hard to pick up since it’s very steep terrain.
One of our awesome readers recommended grabbing coffee/tea and small bites at Tallulah 1882, right across the street from the park entrance. We saw it but didn’t stop so now we have to go back! After our gorge floor hike, we did stop at the general store right behind Tallulah 1882 for ice cream and it was so good. The owner was so kind also.
Have you heard of the Kiawah Beachwalker Park? This park is one of the nation’s top ten-rated beaches, and it’s just a few hours away from Charleston, SC. Find out why the Kidding Around team enjoys this beach so that you can plan out the perfect beach trip.
If you are planning on taking a trip to the coast soon, we have a huge Guide to Charleston, SC with tips for things to do, places to stay, and adventures to enjoy!
