Exploring Panama City Beach and Pensacola, Florida, part 2

One of the absolute highlights of our week in Panama City Beach was the thrilling opportunity to see the Blue Angels in action! We woke up bright and early and made the nearly three-hour drive to Naval Air Station Pensacola to catch one of their practice sessions.

We were fortunate to have great weather that morning. The Blue Angels wowed us with their signature  aerobatic maneuvers, executed with stunning precision and split-second accuracy. For those unfamiliar, the Blue Angels are "the Navy's flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy." You can read more about them on Wikipedia here.

After the airshow, we cooled off inside the Naval Aviation Museum, exploring its impressive collection of historical aircraft. The amazing Navy veteran Lieutenant Cash Barber, who celebrated his 100th birthday in May, was regaling visitors with stories of life in the navy and flying the amphibious aircraft, the "Catalina" during World War II. Truly inspiring.

We stopped at the Pensacola Light around the corner for a picnic. Just as we were finishing lunch, it started to rain. Alas, no visit to the lighthouse. Or the Gulf Islands National Seashore, much to our disappointment.

Entrance to Pensacola Light

The next few days found us back in Panama City Beach, soaking up the sun and dipping our toes in the warm, clear waters of the Gulf. Thoughts of buying some gear to scoop up the blue crabs we spotted scuttling along the shore definitely crossed our minds — maybe next time!

We enjoyed the glorious sunsets. A perfect ending to our vacation.

sunset at Schooners Restaurant 

sunset at SpringHill Suites, near the PCB Pier

Have you ever been to Pensacola or Panama City Beach, or seen the Blue Angels in action? We'd love to hear about your experience — share your stories or tips in the comments below!

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday, Image-in-ing Through My Lens and Little Things Thursday.

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Top 10 Favorite Beaches in the U.S.

We're fortunate to have lived in several cities that are in the vicinity of some of the best beaches in the U.S. Cruising up and down the East Coast and along Florida's gulf coast has given us the chance to discover many hidden gems and secluded stretches of shoreline. With so many beautiful beaches out there, we're always eager to explore new spots and uncover future favorites. For now, here are our top 10 favorite  beaches - listed in no particular order.

Thanks to our cousins who live in San Francisco, we got to visit the stunning Baker Beach one January. The huge waves are excellent for surfers, not so much for swimming. Rip currents also pose a danger. But Baker Beach is perfect for fishing, strolling and people watching. And the view of the Golden Gate Bridge is absolutely breathtaking. 

Baker Beach, San Francisco, CA

There isn't a beach on Cape Cod we don't like. If we have to choose one, we'll pick Race Point Beach, on Cape Cod National Seashore in Provincetown, where we went last summer. We're not fond of the cold waters of the Atlantic, but the towering sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see  is simply amazing. as you make the drive from Province Lands Visitor Center to Race Point Beach. If you're lucky, you may see seals, whales, and even sharks. The beach is pristine and so relaxing, especially after visiting the LGBTQ+ capital Provincetown.

Race Point Beach 

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware exudes old-fashion charm, a reminder of the good old days when life was simpler and safer. Aside from the beach, the mile-long boardwalk is lined with ice cream and taffy shops, arcades and thrill rides. It is so safe you or your kids can hang out all night long without any worries, but bring lots of quarters for parking! At least, that was the case the last time we were there.

Rehoboth Beach

Another national seashore we absolutely adore is Assateague National Seashore in Berlin, Maryland. Not only is the beach fantastic,  the wild horses roaming around freely are quite a spectacle. We had a memorable family reunion here one August, see blog post Horsing around Assategue, not far from Rehoboth Beach.

South Ocean Beach, Assateague Island National Seashore, Md

Forget Sanibel. Seven miles of pristine beaches littered with shells await you at Cayo Costa State Park, south of Boca Grande, west of Fort Myers, Florida. As of October last year, ferry service and overnight camping are no longer available, but it is still open to private vessels - boats, dinghies and kayaks. You'll find not only shells, but wildlife galore.

Cayo Costa State Park, Florida

We love Longboat Key and have anchored on Sarasota Bay several times. How can we forget the time when we were out exploring the beach by dinghy, a water police ticketed us for not having enough life jackets for everyone? We've never been fined before, but acquiesced knowing this area gets very rowdy in the summer time. A blogger we follow has more detailed information on Longboat Key and anchoring here.

Longboat Key on the gulf side (photo credits: Phan Thai)

Partygoers on Memorial Day weekend

Every year around Thanksgiving Treasure Island plays host to the sand sculpture competition Sanding Ovation. Three miles of expansive beaches with sparkling sand line the gulf, making it the perfect venue for the event. No need to sweat the parking, there is plenty around. Across the street from the beach is the Publix supermarket, where you can pick up your lunch or snacks. Talk about convenience!

Treasure Island Beach Sand Sculpture Competition

The next three beaches on my top 10 favorite beaches list are Caladesi State Park, Siesta Beach and Fort DeSoto Park. They are usually on Dr Beach's list of top 10 beaches in America, an annual list that comes out on Memorial Day weekend. This year Caladesi made the list again, at number 4.  I have written many posts on these beaches over the years, see links below.

Caladesi State Park

Fort DeSoto North Beach

Siesta Beach

What's your favorite beach?

Cheers, and stay cool! 

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday, Little Things Thursday and Through My Lens.

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Fall foliage in Eau Claire, WI

 Please welcome Ji Grinsel, our guest blogger for this post. Ji was a student in my ESL class at Chattanooga State Community College. She is a fantastic cook, and we actually had a food blog at one time, doing culinary tours to Atlanta and offering cooking lessons. She shares the beautiful foliage in Eau Claire, where she and her husband currently live.

One of Eau Claire's most popular location is the historical and beautiful Carson Park. We love to go there to immerse ourselves with nature's beauty, and enjoy the peace and quiet. It is just two miles from our house. Last month, we enjoyed the magnificent fall colors at the park. 

Aside from being the top location to watch the Fourth of July Fireworks, Carson Park is also the perfect place to have a picnic, watch a baseball game, fish, kayak and ride a replica train that meanders through scenic woods by Half Moon Lake. History buffs will enjoy learning the history of Eau Claire at the Chippewa Valley Museum.

In the winter, various events such as ice fishing, skating, cross-country skiing, etc. are held here. On this particular day there were people fishing and kayaking, and some taking pictures like me. The colors are no more as we've already had snow. Enjoy the beauty! 

This post is shared on Image-in-ing. Little Things Thursday and Skywatch Friday.

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The South's Best Places to Retire

Last week I posted Falling for the South: Chattanooga, TN. Unbeknownst to me, Southern Living's Octorber issue had an article on The South's Best Places to Retire (I copied that title for this post), and Chattanooga is the best all around place! I was totally excited. Now you understand why we've been here as long as we have!

You can click on the above link to read the entire article. The list is as follows:

Best All-Around: Chattanooga, TN
Best for Home Buying: Ocean Springs, MS

Best for Healthy Living: Beaufort, NC

Best Beach Town: St Augustine, FL
Best for Outdoor Enthusiasts: Abingdon, VA

Best for Food Lovers: Greenville, SC

Best for Arts and Culture: Savannah, GA

Best for Affordability: Huntsville, AL

Best for City Lovers: Fort Worth, TX

Best Mountain Town: Blowing Rock, NC

Best Access to Nature: Eureka Springs, AR

Best for Lifelong Learning: Lexington, KY

As with any list, you can take it with a grain of salt. We have visited several places on the list - Beaufort, St Augustine, Savannah and Huntsville - and love them. Allow me to stroll down memory lane and share our experiences with you.

Beaufort, N.C.

I do not have photos of Beaufort proper, but do have a clip of the music festival in downtown that spring. And how can we forget that rough night rocking and rolling at Cape Lookout in the Southern Outer Banks? Returning to Beaufort the next morning, we discovered Shackleford Banks, where we enjoyed several mornings of gorgeous sunrise. The shelling was amazing too. Read the rest of the story in this post.

Beautiful sunrise and shelling at Shackleford Banks, Beaufort

Cape Lookout

St Augustine, FL

Located in northeast Florida, St Augustine is the oldest European settlement in America. Beautifully restored buildings dating back as far as the early 1600s await you in the historic district. We called on St Augustine several times when we cruised up and down the East Coast. Mai Thai was usually anchored off the Castillo de San Marcos, the star-shaped Spanish fort built in the mid-1600s, the oldest masonry fortification in North America. 

Savannah, Georgia

Our first visit was in the spring, and the azaleas and jasmine were in full bloom. Century-old oak trees lining lovely homes and pretty squares charmed us. Up until then, we've never been to a St Patrick's Day parade/celebration, and we used to live in Philadelphia and Boston, where they have some of the biggest St Patrick's Day parades. The city sure knows how to host a party! We love Savannah so much we came back a few more times. 

Looking at one of many squares from a cafe

Huntsville, Alabama

Did you know some of the first rockets and satellites were built at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville? You can learn more at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Museum.  Huntsville experienced significant growth over the years, surpassing Birmingham to be the biggest city in Alabama. 

U.S. Space and Rocket Center Museum

Madison County Nature Trail

Tennessee River at Ditto Landing Marina

Greenville, Blowing Rock and Lexington are on our radar;  we hope to visit in the not-too-distant future.

Have you been to these places? Would you retire there?

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday Image-in-ing and Little Things Thursday.

 

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