Christmas in August!

Up for Christmas anytime of the year? We're just back from Santa's Land, a "fun park" theme park in Cherokee, NC. It has a 40+-year history and is a wonderful, welcoming place to spend a few hours with young children. The park features lots of "photo spots," a small zoo with touch-able animals, a few refurbished department store displays, simple rides, and a friendly Santa. The famous Rudicoaster is a quick ride for most any age--a small roller coaster with the kind of jerks that make you smile and slide, not the kind that result in a headache. Elijah was able to ride (and enjoy!) a helicopter and car ride, as well as the family train,and Kim was very happy to hit a sale of older Santa's Land souvenirs. If you go, bear in mind that there is no park reentry privilege and that credit cards are not accepted beyond the main gate. Kids 1-8 would probably have the most fun here, and plan in accordance with the operating hours (closing at 6 most open days; seasonal operation April-fall).

If you are doing Christmas in this region, also go to the Incredible Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge, TN. The ornament selection is broad and features quality items and major brands like Radko and Dept. 56. The villages available are well-displayed, and there is a robust selection of Fontanini including an institutional set valued at $25K (go home with the postcard of this one). The Christmas Place enterprise has expanded to a nearby hotel and a restaurant, but the restaurant is open only for dinner at present. We ate at the Mellow Mushroom across the street instead and enjoyed a wholesome, fresh pizza in a "hippie" atmosphere.

Just like there's always room for one more ornament on the tree, it's always a good time for Christmas!

Related Links:
Santa's Land, Cherokee, NC
The Christmas Place
Mellow Mushroom Pigeon Forge

Myrtle Date

We found ourselves with two relatively rainy days on our recent trip to Holden Beach, NC, providing the perfect excuse to take in some of the busy, bustling south. Kim grew up vacationing in Myrtle, so a quick trip in is always somewhat nostalgic. It was too hot and rainy to play putt putt next year, but we did make it to fun at Ripley's Aquarium. Kim's a Facebook fan of the Aquarium and received a free ticket during a recent giveaway, and Elijah seemed to appreciate the "moving sidewalk" tunnel that allows visitors to stand under sharks and other sealife. If you go, visit early before the crowds hit and tote your young child along! Afterwards, lunch is fun at Hard Rock Cafe, Johnny Rockets, or one of the other "fun chains" at Broadway at the Beach.

We also snuck in a lunch date at Barefoot Landing, visiting the House of Blues this year. The House of Blues complex is larger than we expected and full of simple, eye-catching folk art. The spirit of the place is more subdued than Hard Rock, and on the day of our visit, the staff had less enthusiasm. It made for a yummy lunch of interesting calamari and a burger, though, and we'd love to go back for their inexpensive, big brunch. For shopping, Kim can't miss the reasonably-priced jewelry at Black Market Minerals, Justin finds Ghosts and Legends a wonderful stop, and both of us enjoy Christmas Mouse. We also recommend Alligator Adventure for folks of all ages.

On the way back to Holden from either complex, a stop in Calabash for dinner is worthwhile. Some folks find it to be a culinary delight; we find it to be a simple "have to do" to claim having been to the beach. Justin prefers Coleman's due to a simple boat display inside, an object of fascination when he was a child. Don't miss Callahan's, a gift shop that is the best place for Christmas ornaments in the region! They have decreased their Dept 56 selection in recent years much to our disappointment, but in 2010, we found the shop reorganized and more shoppable in several areas, including jewelry. Go and enjoy it!

Sorry--no pictures on this blog post. We tried a new camera and were less than successful. Better luck next time!

Holden On

We're just back from the annual July relaxation vacation at Holden Beach, NC. Holden, billed as a family beach, is a wonderful island of beach houses that makes a great place for simple hanging out with family and friends. Sleeping in, walking the shore, reading, splashing around--not the most exciting Halterman adventure, but one of the most anticipated of the year for its quality, simplicity, and ability to inspire rejuvenation.

Holden is a well-known turtle sanctuary, and this year, we stayed near several ready-to-hatch nests. Justin and Kim walked by a single baby being released to the ocean on our first night, but otherwise, we did not see any hatchlings. We did have fun, however, hanging out with the good folks of the Turtle Patrol, knowledgeable volunteers clearly loving what they do. A Leatherback has nested along Holden for the first known time this year, creating a bit of a stir.

If you go, soak up the funky atmosphere at Paradise Cafe, learn about the turtle population, and walk plenty at night. We've had success renting from Hobbs Realty and Brunswick Realty--and Second Row is fine. Keep it calm--and when you need some spunk, take a day trip south (and see our next post)!

Americana!

After Kim took a professional development trip to Greene County, VA, and spotted a sign for James Madison's Montpelier, we had to go back and explore the grounds. Montpelier's main house architectural restoration is complete, and as Justin puts it, it's a great site to see "what preservation looks like." On the house tour, you stand in Madison's library, currently "bookless" but still awe-inspiring as the place where much of the Constitution was researched. The visitor's center has detailed exhibit about a few rooms in the house when it was under the ownership of the duPonts, further enhancing understanding of the preservation work. In the coming years, we hope the foundation continues to share information about the duPonts at Montpelier. We spent lots of time on the grounds on our trip, an excellent site for a picnic if you are so inclined. There was not much by way of recognition of the 4th, but the foundation does a Constitution Day ceremony in September.

Following Montpelier, we shopped a few antique stores in Ruckersville. We found unpretentious dealers and an array of finer antiques and junktiques co-existing, coming away with such small treasures as two old Busch Gardens souvenirs.

Driving back, we stopped for dinner in Lexington, discovering the annual hot air balloon festival! Watching the balloons on the VMI drillfield was a relaxing, picturesque way to end the day.

"Horsin' Around" on a Halterman Evening

Summer evenings bring a bit more flexibility to our house, and we spent one outside admiring the horses at the annual Roanoke Valley Horse Show. The show, an annual event supporting charities like the Bradley Free Clinic and held at the Salem Civic Center, was once known in the Halterman family (they lived "behind" the center) as a source of horseflies. In more recent years, we've also come to appreciate it as a glimpse of some beautiful animals and of a different life. You can park free of charge on the lot and wander aimlessly among the tents of animals, many decorated fancily with stable logos, free of charge as well. Don't expect lots of overt friendliness--our experience is that trainers and folks seem very focused and not very conversational. However, they don't seem to view visitors as intruders. Worth a 60 minute stop!

Time for Trains!

Kim received a nifty Mother's Day gift: tickets to Gettysburg's Lincoln Train Museum! The museum became our last stop prior to heading out of town. Elijah was fascinated with the model train "in the air" on bridges across the gift shop ceiling. Kim and Justin enjoyed the expansive collection of model trains, including unusual antiques harkening to holidays, advertisements, and "real" railroads. There's also a collection of train Christmas ornaments and a Polar Express display.

For those who like to watch models move (like us!), there is a large layout with three trains and a "circle only" display that is approximately four feet tall. There's also a train you ride: yep, a model train car with a movie about Lincoln's train trip to Gettysburg! It moves gently and put Elijah to sleep. The museum's history is interesting on its own, as when the museum initially opened, the train ride was a major technological innovation.

We judge this homey museum, with its delightful, well-kept collection, to be a good stop. In the area and looking for another cool place? Try Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum--it's free and in Weird Pennsylvania!

Climbing Monuments

What to do on the Gettysburg battlefield? Go climb monuments! No trip would be complete without climbing the Pennsylvania or New York--or the rocks of Devil's Den. And if you are travelling with a baby, pose on the cannons. The monuments truly give the field additional character and fun, but visitors can't forget the tremendous sacrifices there. The Peace Light gives a sense of that, as does a look at the wheatfield. If you are driving the field, we recommend playing the Gettysburg movie soundtrack or one of the CDs of ghost stories to provide an additional element.

Following some battlefield photo ops, we went to the center of town for some shopping. Abe's Antiques has closed--really too bad. If you weren't familiar, Abe's was owned by a Lincoln impersonator who was quite talented and had a nifty collection of civil war items. By asking around at shops, we were able to determine he is fine--just out of business. The Gettysburg Antique Center is still going full speed and is a nice place for locally-oriented ephemera, toy soldiers, and military items. We tried to shop the Farnsworth House bookstore, but their hours were quite unpredictable. A new art gallery features contemporary images of Lincoln and a saleswoman who's won on Jeopardy--Lincoln Into Art is worth a stop.

And some more Gettysburg travel advice: Going out for breakfast? Try the reasonably-priced Avenue Diner, a fixture in town and an easy walk from most centrally-located motels. Hungry for a snack? You can share Hunt's cheese fries with lots of friends and still feel full. Want a relaxing dinner? Head downstairs at the Dobbins House to the Springhouse Tavern for an atmosphere as casual and welcoming as a basement can get!