Chattahoochee Bend State Park - Georgia's Newest!

Chattahoochee Bend State Park is located in west/central Georgia near Newnan. Georgia's newest state park covers almost 3,000 acres and protects about 7 miles of Chattahoochee River shoreline.

Chattahoochee Bend has several features that make it appealing to a variety of outdoor lovers. If you enjoy canoeing, kayaking, boating, and fishing, the park has a boat ramp and lots of river to explore. There are several miles of trails for hiking.

Amenities include two RV friendly campgrounds, platform camping, and several screened Adirondack shelters. There is a playground in the one open RV campground and another playground near the boat ramp. There are also two very nice pavilions, a large grill, and various other picnic tables and grills scattered on the river bank in the same area.

The park is relatively isolated. The closest store is about six mile away, and it's a small gas station. There isn't a lot to do in the area. McIntosh Reserve, a really neat Carroll County park, is located almost directly across the river from Chattahoochee Bend, but it's about a 35 minute drive. Banning Mills is also about a 30 minute drive.

 
Now, for the negatives...
Read more about the park, including a detailed account of our visit and lots more pictures!

Big Kahunas Water Park

A Family Adventure in Destin, Florida - Read the rest of the story

For their 7th birthday, Mother Goose (Rebecca's Mom) gave the twins passes to Big Kahunas water park in Destin. We don't do this type of thing (ie expensive) very often, but we like to do one or two special adventures on our annual vacation to the Florida Panhandle, especially on occasions like birthdays.

We arrived at Big Kahunas water park midday, and the parking lot was already pretty full. We were worried about a crowd at first because there was a line at the gate. Our worries were soon quelled. We never had to wait for any of the attractions for more than just a few minutes.

After stashing dry clothes and valuables in a couple of lockers, we headed for the water. The rest of the day is a blur. We went from slide to slide, and took breaks in the lazy river. A little thunder storm blew in mid afternoon, so we took cover in the food court area. Not to worry, if you don't like the weather in Florida, hang around for a while, it'll change. If it doesn't, Big Kahunas will give you a rain check. Fortunately for us, the rain passed quickly, and we were back in the water.

The Lazy River

The Richardson Tribe played hard at Big Kahunas, and we got our money's worth. From there, we went to one of the many Alvin's Islands and bought hermit crabs for all the kids before heading back to the beach house in Seagrove. What an awesome day, and what a great birthday gift for the twins.

Click here for lots of pictures and more details about Big Kahuna Water Park.

Live Oak Landing - A Different Side of Florida

Live Oak Landing is located in Freeport, Florida, on Black Creek, just off the Choctawhatchee Bay. It's not the Florida you expect. It's a little darker, a little less commercial, a little more native, a little wilder. Live Oak Landing is a fish camp and a luxury RV resort in one. This makes for an interesting mix.

The Richardson Tribe is not big on RV parks. We appreciate the larger, more natural sites of state parks. Live Oak Landing is a hybrid of the two. Natural surroundings with the luxuries of a plush resort. The creek and bay offer great boating, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. The resort offers large pull through sites and a clubhouse with teak furnishings, a massive gas grill, and big screen TV.

In addition to the clubhouse amenities, Live Oak Landing provides a variety of other family entertainment options. A selection of indoor and outdoor games are available like Horseshoes and Bocce Ball. If you want to go canoeing, on a boating tour, or on a fishing expedition, Live Oak Landing knows just the skipper to serve your needs.

Fishing is a popular and productive pastime here at Live Oak Landing. With a boat ramp, docks, and a very nice creek side pavilion, the options are almost limitless. During our stay at Live Oak Landing, the manager arranged for canoes, paddles, and life jackets for the entire Richardson Tribe. From the park's banks, one can paddle out to Jolly Bay and Choctawhatchee Bay, or up Black Creek just like the Native Americans did centuries before.

If your interests lean more toward beaches, shops, miniature golf (and regular golf), go karts, and water parks, they're all just down the road. San Destin, Destin, Fort Walton, Seaside, Seagrove, Grayton Beach, and Panama City Beach are all just a short drive away. 

 

As I mentioned before, this is a brand new RV park. The concrete pads have barely solidified. How it evolves in the coming years depends a lot on the clientele the park attracts. The big-rig friendly sites and cottages (for sale) make it a great retirement park. Access to deep water lends itself to sportsmen. Families wanting an alternative Florida experience may influence the park's direction.

As a family of six, I must admit, staying at Live Oak Landing was like visiting a "friend with a perfect house" and no children. It's almost TOO NICE for kids. The bath house and restrooms were spotless. The grounds are lavishly landscaped and meticulously maintained. Visitors are expected to keep a tidy campsite, which can prove a challenge for a family of six with bikes, chairs, and fishing poles. I hope the park continues to maintain high standards, because it's nice to visit a a place that seems to care.

On the negative, it was unusually hot while we were visiting (June). It would have been a big plus to have had a pool, fountains, or misting stations to provide some cooling. The kids spent a good deal of time in the large screened pavilion with ceiling fans and a large screen TV. 

Rebecca and I spent the evenings by the fire overlooking Black Creek. It was beautiful and relaxing. The smoke helped keep the yellow flies at bay. You see, one of the prices you pay for staying in such a tropical place is bugs. There are bugs. Deal with it.
 

In summary, We really like Live Oak Landing. It's not your typical RV resort. Click here for lots of pictures and a more thorough review of Live Oak Landing.

The Redneck Riviera

Beaches of South Walton

Disclaimer - Let me make it clear, I am likely risking the scorn of fellow Southerners for sharing this information with such indiscretion. Many of our friends from the northern states are not privy to the region we affectionately call the "Redneck Riviera," a place where you can still enjoy a peaceful beach sunset with no one but loved ones by your side. A place that knows no crowds. A place with emerald green waters, fine snow-white sands, and daily magical sunsets. Regretfully, I feel obliged to introduce this tropical paradise to all our friends, regardless their latitude relative to the Mason Dixon line. So, my Southern brothers and sisters, please forgive me. I mean well.

Walton County spans the Florida panhandle from the Alabama line to the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico. You'll see no high-rise condos in Walton County. There is an ordinance that restricts such construction. The beaches of Walton County are stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of nearby Panama City Beach and Destin. But don't expect shacks. This portion of the Panhandle is very much up-scale, in a Panhandle sort of way.

Most visitors of Walton County stay in rental units and beach houses. The beaches are pristine and remarkably NOT crowded. Renting a beach house for a week isn't cheap, but a much better value for a large family than a hotel. Having a kitchen will save a fortune alone. The popular beaches long Scenic Route 30A are Rosemary Beach, Seagrove, Seaside (The Truman Show), Grayton Beach, Blue Mountain, Santa Rosa, and Dune Allen. The beach/golf resort town of San Destin defines the western-most part of Walton County.

An affordable alternative to hotels and beach houses is camping. On the West end of Scenic Route 30A is Topsail Hill Preserve, a beautiful state park with miles of unspoiled beach and giant blinding-white sand dunes. Camping at Topsail Hill is very affordable. It is, after all, a state park. One big bonus of this state park? FULL HOOKUPS!   Read the rest of the story.

The Richardson Tribe in LA (Lower Alabama)

Florala State Park, Florala, Alabama
As a child (60's and 70's,) and throughout my teenage years, my family visited Florala, Alabama regularly. My mother grew up here. Even now, my mother and father, both in their 80's, attend the annual family reunion here in July. This quaint old town is situated on the Florida/Alabama state line. In fact, the family property was actually located in both Alabama and Florida, which made tax-time very interesting. On this particular extended PB&J Adventure, I thought it would be a good time to introduce my children to this part of their history.

One feature that sets Florala apart from many similar towns is Lake Jackson, the largest natural lake in the state (500 acres). I'm not sure about that claim, seeing as how half the lake is in Florida, but I'm not one to argue. When I was young, there was a municipal park here. A beach and an old pier with a diving board. There were rumors of alligators, but I never saw one.

Since those days, Alabama has made a state park of the property. We love state parks, and we were passing through anyway, so we made it a layover on our Florida Panhandle adventure.

When we arrived at the park, the public areas looked great. As we approached the campground, we were a little worried about the entrance and the appearance around the office and RV storage area. Those worries were quickly tossed aside as we passed the entrance and into the campground. It's small, but very nice. I would have normally selected a lakeside site (which was available), but the Jeep trailer made a pull through more desirable.

After setting up, I took the bikes off the racks so we could explore a little. We discovered a boardwalk that wound through the trees and wetland for a while before becoming a paved path. It was an easy and enjoyable ride. The kids were anxious to reach the playground on the beach, so we went straight there. They played for a while until we started seeing lightning in the far distance. We sprinted back to the campground.

While camping/RVing at Florala State Park, we rode bikes several times, fished, and watched the exotic ducks, geese, and all their babies wander around the campground looking for food. I also have to mention the sunsets. Anyone that knows the Richardson Tribe knows we love sunsets. The combination of peace and quiet, water, sun, and cypress trees with Spanish moss is very relaxing. We will return. Click here for lots more pictures and a park overview.

Tannehill Ironworks - The Home of Birmingham's Iron Industry - More

Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park is a 1,500 acre piece of history located about 25 miles Southwest of Birmingham, Alabama. The park celebrates Birmingham's iron industry with a museum and a restored furnace and multiple buildings from the era. If you like camping, nature, and history, you will thoroughly enjoy this park.

There is a very large campground at Tannehill State Park with a handful of full hookup sites. There is also a creek, a cold clean spring, miles of biking and hiking trails, a small gauge train, a sweets shop, a restaurant, 19th century cabins to rent, rockhounding, fishing, and much more.

Tannehill has a great facility for events, and there are are a good many that take place here. On the third weekend of every month from March to November, the park hosts Trade days, a sort of swap meet. Then there's the Dulcimer Festival, a Civil War reenactment, a rock an mineral show, a major archery event (state championship), and a woodcarvers show. Frankly, it seems there is always something happening at Tannehill.

We Have Walked on Sacred Ground

Etowah Indian Mounds - Cartersville, Georgia

The Etowah Indian Mounds are located near Cartersville, Georgia, midway between Chattanooga and Atlanta, just a few miles off Interstate 75. The landmark has a very nice little museum and interpretive center. The mounds are unbelievable.

Archaeologists believe this site was the principal village in the region between 1,000 - 1,500 AD. It's easy to see why this rich valley was a popular place to live. The Etowah River flows through the property, and the mounds provided a safe retreat from the annual flood waters that breached its banks. The floods of the Etowah also brought rich silt (and gold) from the mountains and provided the valley with resources unmatched in the region. Notice the ancient Native American fish weir, very visible in the picture below (click to zoom).

When visiting this historic park, one of the first things you learn is that the entire site is considered "sacred ground" by the descendants of the original inhabitants. In times past, members of the Muscogee (Creek) families buried their loved ones under their river-cane beds when they passed. Over several hundred years, most of the village became one large cemetery. What this means today is archaeological excavation is next to impossible. Only one of the site's mounds has been fully excavated, but it revealed a tremendous amount insight into the lifestyle of ancient city's inhabitants. 

The Etowah Indian Mounds were built over many generations, each adding its own later. One mound, the tallest, was dedicate to the Chief. Another mound was dedicated to the superstar ball players (little has changed  in 1,000 years.)  The excavated mound was found to be a mortuary mound, final resting place for over 300 highly regarded tribe members.

Opinions differ as to the significance of the other mounds (10+ total). I have my opinions, but I'm hardly an expert. Click here for many more pictures and details.