Hollywild Animal Park SC - Kids Go FREE With Paid Adult

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During our travel adventures we always hit up at least one animal related venue. Both of my kids love animals especially my daughter who is passionate about conservation and caring for injured and abused animals.

Hollywild Animal Park, is a gem among parks and zoos, actually they are both! They are located in rural Upstate SC  The natural pathways and open spaces with plenty of picnic areas make it a great place to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of life and explore: the laughter of your children, time together, and the great outdoors. But there's more - more than 500 animals native to countries around the globe make their home at Hollywild. In the walking area of the park, you are close to all kinds of animals from the curious camels and humorous bears (who can be seen playing on the park's webcam www.hollywild.org Eyes on Hollywild) to the majestic great cats (lions, tigers, leopards, and cougars), striking baboons and ambassador wolves. Petting areas are intentionally placed throughout the park. Children wanting to pet the "kitty" may need to be redirected if that "kitty" happens to be a 500 pound Siberian Tiger, but just a few feet away you find a petting area where donkeys, alpaca, goats, and even pigs can be found ready for some attention. Free roaming birds like the brilliant peacocks, guineas, and exotic chickens show their colors throughout the grounds adding another element of fun to your visit. A bit of learning is tucked into a Hollywild visit too, with the aid of signage and the Creature Feature programs in the park's amphitheater. Both showcase details about the featured animals and give you the inside scoop on their unique adaptations and behaviors. There just aren't many places where you learn a little then spread out a picnic blanket beside a waterfall in view of a rare white lion, one of the newest additions to the Hollywild family. His inspiring story and Hollywild's partnership in an international effort to conserve the rare white subspecies make it easy to see why this place is a treasure on so many levels.

Included in your admission is the Safari Bus Ride you won't want to miss. Converted old-style school buses take you and yours on a journey you'll not soon forget - on the ride you meet all kinds of herbivores: emu, donkeys, water buffalo, bison, watusi, and zebras who come to the bus for snack time. You just can't see the foot-long tongue of a watusi up-close from anywhere - but you can at Hollwyild! From the bus, catch a glimpse of "Tank" the park's rare white rhino and star of many television commercials. In fact, that's where the park's name originated - through the movie industry. Hollywild has a 40+ year history - starting from a modest private backyard collection of animals to the nearly 100 acre public access park it is today. It grew as a result of Hollywood movie makers calling founder David Meeks and asking to film his animals. The funds raised by those efforts built the park to be the great resource it is today. Walking through the park you can see the star signs indicating the movies that Hollywild animals have appeared in during the park's history.

The park converted to a non-profit organization more than 15 years ago so that it would be run by a board of directors who could see to it that the park lives on as a great resource for generations to come. Many animals have been born here or brought here as rescues and some as 'retirees' from circus acts. Each has a special story worth hearing. Though staff recommend at least 2 hours for a visit during Park Season, others recommend just planning to spend the whole day as you can ride the bus as many times as you like and just relax enjoying the nature abundant around you. Picnics are welcome or you can purchase light concessions on-site. The park's website www.hollywild.org has links to places to stay, eat, and play nearby making it easy to plan a weekend getaway to the Upstate area convenient to I-85 and I-26.

Be sure to get your coupon for FREE Child's Admission with purchase of an Adult Admission .

Crown Reef Resort - Myrtle Beach, SC

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Crown Reef Beach Resort, opened its first tower in 1994. This affordable, family friendly, ocean front resort is located at 2913 South Ocean Boulevard along the south end of Myrtle Beach. It is just minutes from the Myrtle Beach airport and about a 1/2 hour away from a variety of attractions and entertainment, such as Alligator Adventure, Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium, Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and more. The Crown Reef offers the most oceanfront rooms (514) in Myrtle Beach, a large conference center, indoor and outdoor water amenities, on-site dining and more.

A moms review:
In today's economy family vacations can be difficult to arrange. They are often cost prohibitive, unaccommodating, and require excessive travelling.  But what if I told you there was an affordable, family friendly resort on the east coast that offers something for everyone in your family and is only hours away from major east coast cities? Yes such a place exists and it is called Crown Reef Beach Resort.

Myrtle Beach is just 6 hours from Atlanta and a super easy, relaxing drive. Believe it or not we have never stayed at a resort so we were very excited and didn't know what to expect. The Crown Reef Resort has undergone major renovations over the last year totaling 7.5 million dollars. Some of these renovations include 500 newly renovated rooms, 2 million dollar Oceanfront Watepark, Loco Gecko Beach Shak Restaurant, Grab n’ Go Grill and Coffee Bar, Swirl Ice Cream and Sweet Shop, and Game On! More renovations are in the works and will continue to be added over the next several months. 

Finding the hotel was really easy...it's kind of hard to miss three giant towers. We arrived at the resort around 5 pm. Because of our blogger status we had priority check in at Tower 2, but standard check in is located across the street. The very friendly guest services hostess gave us our room keys, parking tag, bracelets for waterpark admission, hotel map, VMB card offer sheet and resort activity schedule. The check in was super quick and easy.

After we got checked in we found a parking spot in the covered garage closer to our elevator and unloaded our luggage. There were ample luggage carts available by the elevators to make unloading and loading easy. There are plenty of elevators available so you don't need to worry about loitering around the elevators for too long.

Below is a breakdown of all the fabulous resort features.

Newly Remodeled Rooms and Private Balconies:
We were in complete awe when we entered our room. It was large, clean and smelled great. But I will admit that we didn't even pay much attention to the room details when we walked in, because we all made a mad dash for the private balcony to check out our view first. We took advantage of the balcony several times during our stay. Each morning my husband and I enjoyed a quiet breakfast on the balcony while the children ate theirs and watched cartoons. And each evening we would sit on the balcony in the moonlight and listen to the waves crashing on the beach.

After soaking in the beach front view, which all 514 rooms at the Crown Reef offer, we then preceded to check out our room and unpack. The updated decor is bright and modern, but still retains a beachy feel and look with light oak furniture and a blue and white color palette.  We stayed in an Oceanfront Queen Efficiency which sleeps 4 (2 double beds). The room has many amazing features and Crown Reef definitely tries to make you feel at home as much as possible. When you first enter the room you will be standing in the full kitchen area complete with a full size refrigerator, sink, granite counter tops, a microwave, stove, coffee maker, serving dishes and utensils as well as granite counter tops! Having the kitchen was amazing. About 10 miles away from the hotel we stopped at one of the many local grocery stores to pick up beverage, breakfast, lunch, and snack items. It was terrific not having to eat out for every single meal and it really saved us lots of money. Other features included a dining table for 2, 2 chairs, a nightstand, a dresser, ironing board and iron, closet with hangers, in room safe, flat screen TV and hair dryer. The beds were really comfortable and included ample pillows. There are also basic rooms, deluxe suites and jacuzzi suites available. We had the opportunity to meet our housekeeper a few times during our stay. She was very kind and provide us with everything we needed on a daily basis to make our stay as comfortable as possible. As we were leaving our room on the last day she was in the hallway. She thanked us for visiting, told us to visit again and wished us safe travels home. How often does that happen at a hotel or resort?

Oceanfront Waterpark and Water Fun Area:
 The Crown Reef Resort just opened a new 2 million dollar Oceanfront Waterpark. This amazing waterpark is free to use for all Crown Reef Resort guests. Remember I mentioned something for everyone. For family members who are not fond of the sand and ocean they will really enjoy this waterpark. We didn't hit up the waterpark on our first night, but we did take full advantage of it our second and third. The new waterpark towers 40 feet above the ground and features a 278-foot long two-person tube waterslide, a single-person 302-foot long waterslide and an 8-foot tall, 20-foot long slide for the little ones. The "TWISTER" Waterslide and the world's first hotel" EXPLOSION" Tube Waterslide are the two newest water amenities at the Crown Reef. The two-person “EXPLOSION” tube slide pumps more than 2,500 gallons of water per minute. The "EXPLOSION" is a two-person serpentine-style ride with many left-to-right turns in 54-inch enclosed flumes. There are tight radius, 360-degree turns where the fiberglass enlarges and explodes into a 72-inch diameter to provide a change of speed and direction and add an all-new experience to the ride. The “TWISTER” slide, is a one-person body slide that pumps 800 gallons of water per minute.

The waterpark also includes a water fun area for all ages with a silly sub and other fun water features, like a giant dumping water bucket. My children are apprehensive of large slides so they mostly hung out in the water fun area and rode the 8-foot slide over and over again. But don't let this little slide fool you, it is really fast!! The lines were always short which was perfect for impatient children. 

There is ample seating in this area so parents can relax while children play. And guess what? This attraction will be open year-round! Yup even in the winter you can enjoy the waterpark, because it will be enclosed. 

Pools and Hot Tubs:
Besides the awesome waterpark and water fun area there are several other water features including a tropical island pool, heated indoor pool, hot tubs and fountains. Our family loved the 125-foot ocean front pool, which was never crowded. For the younger children who are not quite ready for the big pools there are three kiddie pools. On days it is really hot or raining you will love the large winding pool by Tower 1 where you can be splashing around in the sun on one side and protected with a covered top on the other side. The children loved the bridge with the sprinkler in this pool. And parents there are 11 hot tubs where you can relax. Yes moms you get to relax too on this vacation! I spent some time in the hot tub relaxing (with an adult beverage) while the children enjoyed the lazy river, it was perfect!

The pool deck is always hopping but surprisingly it is never too crowded. We always found a lounge chair or table and there were plenty of areas that provided shade if you are not fond of baking in the sun. Here are some of the other things going on around the pool deck.

• Snow cone stand where you can purchase a cold treat
• Pool side bar where you can get yourself a refreshing beverage. I made friends with the amazing bar tender and bumped into him several times during our stay both on the resort and off. He even posed for a photo.
• Salty the Shark appearances. Salty visits the Crown Reef every day except Sunday in June and July.
• Chief Kamu's Fire and Hula show. Cheif Kamu is a native Hawaiian and shares stories about Hawaii and performs a captivating fire show. His authentic hula dancers also teach you how to Hula Dance if you are feeling brave. 
• Greg Holt Magic Show. Greg performs weekly magic shows right at the pool, or in the arcade if the weather is bad.
• Other activities may include trivia extravaganza, water aerobics, tie dye shirts ($10), family scavenger hunt, hula hoop and limbo contests, arts and crafts (fee varies), beach soccer, beach kickball, Hair wraps ($1 per inch), shark tooth search, pool games and more! When you check in you will be provided with a list of events for the week!
• Need some alone time? Then take advantage of the Kids Night out for $15.

*All activities are subject to weather and occupancy.

Lazy River:
Get super lazy on the Lazy River. This was were we spent the majority of our time. We floated round and round the 575-foot lazy river for hours each day. It is the longest oceanfront lazy river in Myrtle Beach. Tubes are provided and we could always find a tube when we needed one. I loved that I could relax in a hot tub or on a lounge chair and easily keep an eye on the children while they floated in the river.

Town Center Dining & Fun Zone
The Town Center opened this spring and offers visitors oceanfront dining and entertainment! There is a casual dining restaurant, coffee bar, ice cream and sweets shop, and video game arcade and redemption center. Below is a breakdown of these areas.

Game On!:
If you need something to keep your children busy for an hour or so you can head to Game On! This arcade center provides children a fun place indoors to relax and have fun! You can easily load a game card with credits for playing games, that way children can pick and choose which games they want to play without the hassle of coins or bills. Some of the games include Crank It, Sink It, Super Bikes 2, Typhoon, Ice Ball, air hockey, Doodle Jump and more. For even more added fun you can earn tickets/points by playing the games and then redeem them for small prizes at the Winner's Circle. Tickets/points are automatically added onto the card so there is no need to hassle with carrying paper tickets around.

Grab N’ Go Grill & Coffee Bar:
Whether you are looking for a light breakfast, quick lunch or dinner, refreshing beverage or a tasty snack the Grab N' Go Grill has something for every appetite. The thing I liked most about the Grab N' Go Grill was that everything was really affordable. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor seating options too if you choose to stay rather than go! Breakfast buffet options include a continental style breakfast with biscuits & gravy, pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, fresh fruit, pastries, and more. Tip: If you add the breakfast buffet to your reservation you can save money! Dinner, lunch and snack options include pizza, corn dog, salad, chicken wings, chicken fingers and more. There is a wide variety of cold and hot beverages to choose from including fresh-brewed coffee, smoothies and more. We definitely utilized the Grab N' Go during our stay. One evening we enjoyed a quick, quiet dinner there and the morning we left we stocked up on some bottle beverages and snacks for the road.

Swirl Ice Cream and Sweet Shop:
If you are looking for a way to cool down after spending all day at the beach or waterpark in the sun then check out Swirl Ice Cream and Sweet Shop. Swirl Ice Cream shop serves up creamy Breyer's ice cream. Flavor selections include mint chocolate chip, french vanilla, cookie dough, strawberry and more. At the Sweet Shop you can find all kinds of sweet goodness to add to the top of your ice cream, from gummy bears to M & Ms, there is something for every sweet tooth. I don't know about your children, but mine love ice cream and sweets so this place was totally irresistible and added even more fun to our vacation.

Loco Gecko Restaurant:
We are loco for the Gecko. We ate dinner at this brand new restaurant 2 nights during our 3 night stay. I loved that we didn't need to leave the resort to have a nice, relaxing sit down dinner. As long as there are not hurricane force winds the Gecko opens the garage doors on the restaurant to give you fabulous view of the Atlantic while you dine. The restaurant decor is everything you would expect from a beach shak resturant. There are fun beachy signs, and beach themed art pieces. The restaurant features casual beach dining and has variety of menu options including salads, pizzas, burgers and more. For children there are several tasty options on the children's menu. You can choose to sit inside or outside, but either way you will still get to experience the ocean breezes and beautiful view. We were able to feed our family of 4 for around $35 (including tip). The restaurant was never crowded and we often had our choice of seating. During each of our visits the waitresses were helpful and friendly. We had one minor issue during our 2nd dinner visit, but the attentive restaurant manager resolved the issue quickly and professionally. The children were thrilled that we were able to take our plastic Loco Gecko cups home as souvenirs!

The Beach
Don't worry I didn't forget about beach! After all the beach would be one of the main reasons you stay at an ocean front beach resort, right? We spent afternoons relaxing on the beach, swimming in the ocean, building sand castles and of course collecting shells. And each night after dinner we took a nice relaxing walk on the beach to collect more shells and do some beach combing. It is amazing what you can find laying on the beach after a busy day. We were even able to sneak in a beach geocache which we found several resorts north of the Crown Reef. And shh don't tell the children, but we also were able to sneak in some homeschool too! The beach is full of educational learning opportunities.

Accessing the beach is super quick and easy. Just walk through the pool area, over a gated bridge and your toes will be touching the sand. If you don't want to lug your umbrella and chairs out to the beach you can rent a set of comfy chairs and an umbrella for the day from the lifeguards. There are numerous wash stations to rinse off sandy bodies and gear before heading back to your room or next amenity. 

A few other amenities I'd like to mention include the fitness center (which will be getting an overhaul too) and  a 12,000 square foot space for meetings, banquets, weddings and events for groups of 25 to 1,200.

More Details
So are you ready to book your next vacation now? The Crown Reef  “all-in-one” resort offers something for family at an affordable price. You can stay at the resort the entire time and never run out of stuff to do or head to the many wonderful attractions located around Myrtle Beach. If you decide to take advantage of the local attractions be sure to check with the Crown Reef front desk to see how you can save and in many cases even purchase your tickets. We would definitely stay at the Crown Reef Beach Resort again!

Where:
Crown Reef Resort
2913 South Ocean Blvd
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
877-684-9998

When to visit:

All year long!

Cost:

For families looking for a great budget friendly option definitely check the Crown Reef Resort first. Rates start at just $39 a night on select dates.

SPECIALS:

Crown Reef Resort offers a variety of special throughout the year. Check their Specials Page for more details. 

Links to follow:

-Crown Reef Resort Website

-Crown Reef Facebook 

-Crown Reef YouTube

-Crown Reef Twitter

What do you think your favorite amenity would be?

We were given 4 days, 3 nights at the Crown Reef Resort plus a $100 food voucher in exchange for our review, all opinions are our own.

Mile Marker News - South Carolina Beach Getaway

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

"Mile Marker News" will include details about our upcoming trip, the preliminary itinerary, the planning process, travel tips, and more. And of course there will be many posts to follow after the adventure when we share our reviews and other travel articles pertaining to our trip.

Well we are gearing up for another fun adventure, but this time we are heading north to our sister state, South Carolina. Did you see our South Georgia Adventure itinerary? I completed the post about our stop in Albany, Georgia, but I am still working on a few more for the other cities we visited.

Remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and/or Google + so you can see snapshots of our adventure.

South Carolina Beach Getaway:

We are total beach bums and if we could live near a beach we totally would. In a few days we will be heading to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. Myrtle Beach is the perfect beach getaway and offers a wide variety of activities, accommodations and dining.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.org.

Here are just a few of things Myrtle Beach offers:

• Rich history - there are tons of great historical places to visit in Myrtle Beach where you can learn about the Native Americans, colonial living, plantations, pirates, railroads and much more.
• Beautiful beaches - with over 60-miles of beach Myrtle Beach is a picture-perfect gateway to the sparkling Atlantic Ocean. There are tons of activities like boating, fishing, kayaking, scuba diving and more. And the area's ancient rivers, winding creeks, and spectacular marshes, along with the Intracoastal Waterway, offer water lovers even more opportunities for fun in the sun and water.
• To die for food - from mouthwatering seafood and steaks to scrumptious pastries and coffee Myrtle Beach offers a wide variety of eateries. 

This trip is not nearly as elaborate as the last trip but it is going to still be tons of fun and super relaxing. Here is information on where we plan to stay and have fun!

Itinerary:

• We will be staying at the beautiful, newly renovated Crown Reef Resort. Crown Reef Resort, which opened its first tower in 1994, is located at 2913 South Ocean Boulevard along the south end of Myrtle Beach. Crown Reef offers the most oceanfront rooms (514) in Myrtle Beach, a large conference center, indoor and outdoor water amenities, on-site dining and more. We are really excited about the $2 million waterpark that just opened at Crown Reef Resort. In addition to two new 4-story enclosed waterslides, including the world’s first hotel “EXPLOSION” slide, the waterpark features a kids waterslide, sub play area with water sprays and bucket dumps, and a sun deck.

Image courtesy of Crown Reef Resort.

• We will visiting Alligator Adventure the largest reptile facility in the world. This 15 acre zoo gets visitors face to face with nature’s fiercest and most beautiful animals. We cannot wait to meet the 2 rare albino alligators that live at the zoo. The zoo is located adjacent to Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, and is one of South Carolina’s most outstanding tourist attractions, 

Image courtesy of Alligator Adventure.

• At some point we will swing by the T.I.G.E.R.S. Preservation Station at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. This FREE wildlife exhibit and living tiger museum gives you the chance to meet some of the world's most amazing animals up-close and in-person while they play and relax in an outdoor environment. There are Bengal tigers, Siberian tigers, Royal White Bengal tigers and of course, the Golden Tabby tiger. 
• For some geocaching fun we plan to visit Myrtle Beach State Park which sits nestled among an oceanfront maritime forest. A quiet, and surprisingly green, escape from the otherwise bustling beach, the park provides educational opportunities, a nature trail and some of the best surf fishing South Carolina has to offer as well as stunning ocean views and another great fishing spot on Myrtle Beach pier.
• Either on our way to or from Myrtle Beach we will be stopping by Murrells Inlet a historic fishing village where you can experience nature along the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk. The MarshWalk is FREE to enjoy and offers great views of the saltwater marsh, birds, and beautiful scenery. Home to many waterfront restaurants, music is in the air once evening rolls around. 
• For some evening time strolls we plan to visit the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, Broadway at the Beach and/or Barefoot Landing. These place offer a variety of dining, shopping, entertainment and magnificent views!
• Since we are an art loving family we definitely plan to visit the FREE Burroughs-Chapin museum. This is the only art museum in Myrtle Beach. It is located across the Springmaid Pier. They feature many exhibits including an Art Studio just for kids. 
• To learn more about how native people lived along the Carolina coast before the arrival of Europeans we will make a stop at the Horry County Museum in downtown Conway. This museum features a great collection of Native American artifacts from Archaic, Woodland and prehistoric time periods. There is also a living history farm. Admission is FREE.
• For more nature exploration we will be hitting up the Heritage Shores Nature Perserve. This preserve is one of the most unique parks in the city; created in 2007 with seven (7) acres of walking paths. The park is located on an island that extends into the Cherry Grove Marsh.  The land is preserved in its native state and is accessible via a series of elevated boardwalks and observation docks. Interpretive signage throughout the park describes the plants, animals, fishes and birds that can be seen in the park. This is also FREE to visit.

What is your favorite beach to visit?

Free and Frugal Things To Do In Beaufort, SC

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One of the great things about living in Georgia is that we are only a few hours away from South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama. We have been lucky enough to explore several areas in these amazing states and as soon as we are a two car family again we hope to do a lot more exploring. Last May our family visited Hunting Island State Park in Beaufort, SC. We went camping for several days with our family and extended family and had a blast. And I completely fell in love with the area.

Beaufort county is a warm, hospitable region filled with amazing history, heritage, nature, arts and culture! Known as the Low Country this region offers something for every explorer. Beaufort county consists of 6 towns and cities and hundreds of named and unnamed islands.

Here are 30+ FREE and frugal things things to see and do in Beaufort county:

Beaufort
Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island, one of the largest Sea Islands along the southeast Atlantic  coast. And it is one of only a handful of US towns that has had it's entire downtown designated as a historic district by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The city was founded in 1711 and has maintained its antebellum architecture and small town atmosphere.

Beaufort National Cemetary - The cemetery is FREE to visit and provides visitors with lots of fabulous historical information. Beaufort National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The burial sections are arranged in the shape of a half-circle with roads arranged like the spokes of a wheel. There are several Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery. And there are several monuments to honor the brave men and women who have served our country throughout history.

ARTworks - Browse the galleries for FREE Tuesday through Saturday. Founded in 1991 ARTworks applies the many creative tools of The Arts to strengthen artists and to enrich audiences, collectors, and visitors through high quality arts experiences and arts education programs 365 days a year.

Beaufort Tree Walk - This self guided tree walk tour is FREE. You can download the guide book in PDF format here.

Sheldon Church Ruins - Travel back in time with a visit to these beautiful church ruins. Sheldon Church has lain in ruin for more than 120 years. Its gable roof, pediment, windows, and interior have disappeared, but the classic simplicity of its design still remains. One of the first Greek-Revival structures built in the United States, Prince William's Parish Church, erected 1745-55, was once one of the most impressive churches in the Province. FREE to explore.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Beaufort History Museum - $3 admission. The Beaufort History Museum traces its roots to July 20, 1939, when its constitution was approved at a meeting of the original board of trustees. The museum was formed “to increase and diffuse knowledge by the maintenance of a general museum and library of art, science, history and industry; the preservation and protection of objects and places of artistic, historic or scientific interest; and by furnishing instruction and recreation.”

Waterfront Park - The multi-acre park provides a breathtaking view of the Beaufort River, the Woods Memorial Bridge, the western tip of Lady's Island, the eastern side of Port Royal Island and the northern tip of Parris Island. 

The Arsenal Museum - (location of the Beaufort Chamber VCB Visitor Center) History will come to life with a visit to this FREE museum. Originally constructed in 1799, the brick and tabby arsenal has participated in a number of U.S. wars. During the Revolutionary War, a volunteer company served valiantly. The artillery also saw action during the Civil War during the battle of Port Royal.

John Mark Verdier House - Visit the only planters house in Beaufort open to the public. This prominent Federal-style mansion was built circa 1804 by John Mark Verdier (1759-1827), a successful merchant and planter. Verdier had accumulated significant wealth both by trading indigo and subsequently by acquiring over 1,000 acres used for the growing of highly profitable sea island cotton. $10 admission fee for tour of the house. Civil War exhibit is FREE to visit.

The Anchorage - Stop by and admire a piece of history. The Anchorage, also known as the William Elliott House is believed to be built prior to the Revolutionary War. Stylistic evidence suggests it’s construction dates closer to 1800. This massive home is constructed of tabby and boasts three stories of glorious architecture. The stucco covering the tabby blocks gives the home a look of concrete. The Elliott House is the tallest, double-pile tabby structure. 

William Barnwell House - This is another historic home that you can admire.  The twelve room town house is said to have been built by the Gibbes brothers on behalf of their sister, Sarah Reeve Gibbes, who married William Wigg Barnwell, grandson of the Revolutionary War hero, Major William Hazzard Wigg. During the Civil War, the house served as Union Hospital #4

Other historic sites include - Barnwell-Gough House, John A. Cuthbert House, Fort Lyttelton Site, Laurel Bay Plantation, Seacoast Packing Company, Robert Smalls House and Tabby Manse.

Hunting Island
This beautiful parks has been named One of America's Top Ten Beaches by TripAdvisor. It is located 16 miles east of Beaufort and is South Carolina's most visited state park. You will experience moss covered trees, frolicking dolphins, beautiful beaches, serene waterways, ospreys flying overhead and more!

**Admission fee is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children (ages 6-15). This includes trails, nature center, beaches and visitor center.

Nature Center and Fishing Pier - The Nature Center features live reptiles and exhibits highlighting the park's natural resources. 

Hunting Island Lighthouse - The historic Hunting Island lighthouse was originally constructed in 1859 and is the only lighthouse in the state of South Carolina that is open to the public. From the top platform, for those who are adventurous enough to climb the 167 step spiral staircase, one truly can get a birds eye view of the Atlantic Ocean, the park and surrounding marshes from about 132 feet above the ground. $2 admission fee to climb to the top of the lighthouse.

Visitor Center - The visitor center blends so well with the natural surroundings you would think it "grew" there. The visitor center is a great spot for Hunting Island and local area information. Be sure to check out the alligators or perhaps catch an educational workshop. 

Trials - There are several great trails including the marsh boardwalk and lagoon. These trails offer great wildlife viewing as well as some geocaching too! 

Check out this post about our visit to Hunting Island.

Port Royal
Port Royal celebrates over 450 years of history. It is the second-deepest natural harbor on the East Coast and because of this it attracted Spanish, French and British explorers throughout history. The town of Port Royal is located between Beaufort River and Battery Creek in the heart of SC Low Country.

Bird-lover’s Paradise - Port Royal’s Old Village is home to three diverse habitats: a large open lake, a very rare Bald Cypress swamp with existing boardwalk, and a small duck pond.  This project will provide the community and visitors a wonderful chance to enjoy dramatic lake views, explore different habitats, and offer learning and teaching opportunities about the importance of nature and the diversity of these special habitats.

Cypress Wetlands and Historic Walking Trails - Be sure to check out this beautiful walking trail to enjoy abundant wildlife, bird watching and some history too! Trails are FREE.

Low Country Estruiarium - The Lowcountry Estuarium is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to the principle of “Conservation through Education” The facility’s creatures have been relocated to an interim home in the art gallery/gift shop of the curator, Bob Bender, which is also located in Port Royal at 630 16th St. Ext. Visitation is available seven days a week by APPOINTMENT ONLY by calling 843-524-6600 or 843-263-7969 or email estuarium@islc.net. You should plan on spending 45 min. to an hour or even longer with inquisitive kids. And yes, the critters will be fed during your visit. Visiting the animals is FREE but donations will be greatly appreciated.

St. Helena Island
St. Helena Island is located 5 miles east of Beaufort and offers adventurers a glimpse into rural Low Country life both past and present. The majority of the rural and agricultural land on St. Helena is still worked by native residents, many of whom are descended from slaves.

Penn Center - This 50 acre campus offers tons of great history. There are 19 buildings located on this campus, old burial grounds, Gantt Cottage where Martin Luther King Jr lodged (and drafted his famous “I have a dream speech”), a Nature trail and Chowan creek. One of the buildings was the first school for the children of freed slaves. The campus is FREE to visit. Museum admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children (under 5 yrs old free)

Fort Freemont Historic Park - This historic fort was completed in 1899 and active until 1921. This historic site features 3 distinct elements which offer visitors a unique and diverse opportunity. The park is FREE to visit however donations are accepted.

Image courtesy of Friends of Fort Fremont Park website

Seaside Plantation - Stop by to see this Seaside plantation house which is believed to have been constructed by members of the Fripp family circa 1795 to 1810. The house is architecturally significant as a local interpretation exemplary of the transitional period between the Georgian and Federal styles and is historically significant both for its associations with a locally prominent family and for its role in the Port Royal Experiment. Among the outstanding architectural features of the house are the one-story hipped roof portico, tripartite windows, cantilevered elliptical stair, and the Adam style decoration of the first floor right front room.

Parris Island
Parris Island, SC, consists of 8,095 acres, of which only 3,262 are habitable. The remaining acres are primarily salt marsh. Enlisted male training began here in November 1915. Enlisted female training began here in February 1949. Marines have trained on the Depot during each major conflict of the 20th and 21st century:

Friday Marine Graduation - honor our men and women who serve our country by visiting a Marine graduation ceremony. FREE to visit.

Parris Island Museum - Explore the long and rich legacy of the United States Marine Corps as well as the exciting history of the Port Royal region. Thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials illustrate the varied stories within the exhibit galleries from Native American to modern Marines. FREE to visit.

Image courtesy of Marine Corps website

Iron Mike Tour - Take a walking tour of Parris Island. Be sure to stop by the visitor center first to check in and obtain a map. FREE to visit.

Brick Oil House - The only substantial remnant from Parris Island Range Lights is the brick oil house and a mound of bricks at the site of the dwelling. To reach the oil house today, one must travel across abandoned runways and down a dirt road to the thickly forested area where the oil house is hidden.

Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head is a lowcountry resort town located on an island of the same name in Beaufort County, SC, United States. The island gets its name from Captain William Hilton. In 1663, Hilton identified a headland near the entrance to Port Royal Sound, which he named "Hilton's Head" after himself. The island features 12 miles of beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean and is a popular vacation destination.

Gullah Museum - The mission of the Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island is to revive, restore and preserve the Hilton Head Island Gullah history for the benefit of all – lest we forget. The Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 2003 to preserve Gullah history, culture, customs, traditions, language, stories, songs  and structures on Hilton Head Island. FREE to visit.

Image courtesy of Gullah Museum website

Coastal Discovery Museum - The Coastal Discovery Museum was established in 1985 with a mission to teach the public about the natural history and cultural heritage of the Lowcountry.  The Museum makes learning about Hilton Head Island and the surrounding region a fun filled experience for the whole family. There are salt marshes, open fields, stands of centuries old live oak trees, the State's largest Southern Red Cedar tree dated at 1595, and a collection of some of the oldest buildings that exist on Hilton Head Island. FREE to visit, guided tours are extra. Suggested donation $3.

The Sandbox: An Interactive Children's Museum - This hands-on interactive museum is filled with unique entertaining, and educational play areas to explore. Children can sail away on Captain William Hilton’s ship of discovery or find their Passport to the World in the international airport terminal with a plane ready for little pilots to fly.  $6 adults and children.

Daufuskie Island

This island is a residential "sea island" between Savannah, Georgia and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina about 2.75 miles offshore. The total island surface is just 8 square miles. The island was named a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places due to its Gullah and Civil War history. It's history traces back to Pre Revolutionary War times. It was the site of a skirmish called the "Daufuskie Fight" during the Yemassee War of 1715–1717.

**THIS ISLAND CAN ONLY BE REACHED BY BOAT!

First Union African Baptist Church - Daufuskie's oldest building, and is still in use today as a place of worship. This church was the First Union African Baptist Church. It is listed as a historical landmark and a must see!

Tabby Ruins - Tabby is a building material made from a mixture of ground oyster shells, sand and water. This material was used for buildings on Daufuskie Island, especially on Haig’s Point Plantation. Many slave quarters were constructed of wood and these have long since disintegrated, but remnants of structures made from the very durable tabby remain on Daufuskie Island, Hilton Head Island, and throughout the Lowcountry.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

White School House - The White School House was built in 1913 by the Beaufort County Board of Education for white children who lived on Daufuskie Island. Whether there were twenty students or just one, a teacher was sent to the island. The school closed when the last white child graduated in 1962. Since then, the White School House has been used as fire department headquarters, island library, and thrift shop. Currently the White School House is home to the Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation’s archives.

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge - located near the bridge to Hilton Head Island, offers an ideal place to enjoy the natural beauty of the Lowcountry. Once part of the plantation of Major General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, a prominent South Carolina attorney, from 1801 to 1815, this wildlife refuge features 14 miles of trails and an abundance of wildlife.
There are two historic lighthouses on the island, but both require tours to visit. But you may be lucky enough to at least get a glimpse of them: Bloody Point Lighthouse, built in 1883 and Haig Point Lighthouse, built in 1873.

Other locations to visit - tour map.

For more great historic sites visit The Historic Marker Database for South Carolina.

K is for Kindred - Our Family Vacation At Hunting Island State Park SC

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We have been on the go the entire month of May...thus the reason I haven't been blogging very much. I traveled a total of 15 days in May and have visited two states, Tennessee and South Carolina. I must admit I am tired and am trying to play catch up before we have another adventure in June. But we have had a blast spending time together as a family and of course learning! Keep reading until the end for a great FreeBEE.

I have a few posts for you next week sharing our adventures in Nashville, TN but today I am sharing about our beach family vacation at Hunting Island State Park in SC. We had 5 days of family fun. My parents, brother, sister-in-law, sister, brother-in-law and 7 nieces and nephews were all there!

So this week K is for Kindred!

Even on vacations we are still looking for ways to learn....and there were certainly plenty of opportunities at Hunting Island State Park.

Day 1
On the way to the island we of course had to for gas and that is when our learning began. As I was pumping the gas I spotted a very interesting moth. It was white with black spots. Of course I did what any homeschool mom would do and picked him up to show the kids. I took some photos and then used my trusty Audubon Insect App to find out what species it was. Turns out it was a Giant Leopard Moth. We finally arrived at the island, unpacked our very loaded down car and then hit the beach for some exploring. The kids immediately dove into the ocean...with their clothes on. Then we walked along the beach where we found crabs, sea snails, cool ocean plant life a dead baby blacktipped shark, a dead fish and more. Later before dinner we played fun educational board games: Disney Apple to Apples, Camp, Suspend and History For Kids American History Memory. Then it was time for smores! While we were making our smores we noticed how bright the moon was, so hubby said we needed to take the kids down to the beach to experience the beauty of the moon shining on the ocean (it was about 11:30 pm).

Day 2
We started off the day by visiting the nature center, strolling down the 1,120 ft pier, taking a walk on the marsh boardwalk trail and listening to a 30 minute presentation at the visitor center about Crocodiles and Alligators. We took my youngest nephew along with us on our adventure. The entire staff at the state park is fabulous. The nature center employees took the time to talk with the children about several things and they let the kids hold a very cool turtle. They also gave us a SC fish guide and some temporary tatoos. The crocodile and alligator presentation was good and we all learned a thing or two....I personally learned all about osteoderms and how they act like solar panels. After the presentation they a great brochure about the American Alligator (download yours here). The marsh boardwalk trail lots of fun as well and gave the children the opportunity to learn about salt marsh ecosystems. We saw lots of fiddler crabs and even had fun playing with one. Afterwards we grabbed lunch and hit the beach for more swimming and nature beach combing.

While exploring the beach we discovered that it was horseshoe crab mating season...they were all over the place. Brave hubby lifted one up so the kids could see what was under the hard shell. We also found some crabs and explored barnacles. After the beach we took a bike ride before dinner with my brother, sister-in-law and dad. We rode to an amazing part of the beach covered in large pieces of driftwood which we had fun climbing! After dinner my sister-in-law and I hit the beach for a walk. We took some pictures as the sun was setting and we also discovered a loggerhead turtle nest.



Day 3
We started the morning off with a kayaking trip in the lagoon. This was the first time the kids have ever been in a boat so it was very exciting for them. After about an hour of kayaking we headed to the beach of course. We played in the water, built sand castles, built sculptures out of waterlogged driftwood, saw a Great Egret and explored. After beach time we headed back to the campsite where we spotted a raccoon. These pesky little things encompassed our campsite each night (you couldn't leave any food out or it would be gone). Then the kids and I took one of my nieces on a Geocache adventure. We ended up having a fun 3 mile hike and yes we did find the cache. Along the way we saw some pretty cool things like a cactus with a yellow flower and probably the coolest thing an Osprey nest!

Day 4
We took Ben out to see the Osprey and I put on my large lens so I could get better pictures. I had used my Audubon Bird App to figure out what kind of bird it was. Then we headed to the beach for the last time. Ben had fun playing horseshoes with the my dad, nephew and brother-in-law. We had fun in the sun and then headed back to the campsite to freshen up for some family photos.

Day 5
It was time to head home. I started the morning off with a 3 1/2 mile bike ride with my brother, sister-in-law and dad. It was so much fun! Afterwards we packed the car and headed out....but before we got on the road to head home we were sure to visit the lighthouse. It is one of the only lighthouses in SC that is still open to the public. After climbing the tower we explored some of the exhibits to learn more about lighthouses and the life of a keeper. While at the lighthouse we completed our 2nd Geocache. And before hitting the road we headed back to the pier to answer a few questions and take a photo for a 3rd Geocache find.

I encourage you to always look for ways to learn with your children. Everything can be a learning experience and if you instill a love for learning and exploration you will see your children flourish before your eyes. Even when you are at the grocery store you can find learning opportunities for your children. Our 5 day family beach trip was a fabulous educational adventure and the children are really excited to learn more about the various things we encountered. When we got home we added the following items to our unit study list: Alligators and Crocodiles, Mollusks and Shellfish, Ospreys, Moths, South Carolina and lighthouses and made a trip to the library to check out some books!

FreeBEE:
Right now you can snag this great Field Trip Lapbook from Simple Schooling on CurrClick to assist you in enhancing your field trip adventures and creating a memorable keepsake.

Linking up with: Look What We Did , Ben and Me, Homegrown Learners