Author Archives: lillatravels

Tomorrow we return to Massachusetts so we spent our last day relaxing on Topsail Beach (Surf City to be exact) with our friends at their beach house.  D loved riding the waves and spent hours and hours doing so. Miss … Continue reading →

We’ve spent the past two days in Topsail Island and it’s been very relaxing. No seaweed on the beach, plenty of shells, and lots of waves. Swim, sunbathe, repeat.  Big D has loved riding the waves, spending the entire day … Continue reading →

Yesterday we began the day introducing the kids to an icon of the South: Waffle House.  Since it wasn’t raining, we headed black to Duke to visit their beautiful gardens and walk through campus. The gardens were loaded with flowers … Continue reading →

Today we drove 3+ hours from Williamsburg to explore Tobacco Road — an area that refers to sports (particularly basketball) played between Duke and UNC Chapel Hill, rival Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) universities which are located close to each other … Continue reading →

1. Everyone has been so friendly in Virginia. You can tell who is from the north since they don’t make eye contact or say hello.  2. There are a lot of cicadas. They are noisy and it’s disconcerting to think … Continue reading →

It was a rainy day today but we made the best of it in Colonial Williamsburg. I think the rain accentuated the smell of the horse droppings in the street, and when it wasn’t raining the air was thick and … Continue reading →

Kingsmill on repeat We spent the entire day at the resort, lounging by the pool, drinking frozen mocktails and cocktails, Big D and Paul played tennis, Big D and I briefly rode bikes, and we swam a lot in the … Continue reading →

Spent today at Busch Gardens Williamsburg – riding coasters and enjoying the shows. It has a European theme with rides and shows related to specific countries.  We hit the Invadr wooden coaster, Le Scoot log flume (twice), the Loch Ness … Continue reading →

Today we spent the day at the Kingsmill Resort taking advantage of all this place has to offer: Paul and I worked out in the morning, I had a massage while Paul and Big D played tennis, we enjoyed the … Continue reading →

After a stop at Bodos Bagels (an institution on the UVA campus) we headed to Richmond. Big D pushed the one man sled on the University of Richmond football field, Miss M played basketball on the Richmond Spider’s basketball court, … Continue reading →

This morning we explored Monticello – Thomas Jefferson’s home. We took three separate tours of the three story home, Jeffersons gardens, and slavery at Monticello. There was a table set up (in the shade) where the kids could play games … Continue reading →

This morning we left Washington DC for the second leg of our trip: Charlottesville, Virginia. We toured Luray Caverns (26 floors below ground), had fun running around the nearby hedge maze and headed down the highway to see Cooters — … Continue reading →

Started the day on the Metro to Arlington National Cemetery. So glad we booked the tram tour in advance — it express took us to the Kennedy family area / eternal flame, then the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where … Continue reading →

A few years ago, we were fortunate to meet a military family spending two years as our neighbors in Belmont. We spent many many hours hanging outside while the kids played, and they held a special place in our hearts.  … Continue reading →

There’s a Starbucks attached to the hotel, but we walked across the mall to Bakers & Baristas for breakfast – everything made in house and soooo good. Walked across the mall and saw the Capital building in the distance. At the … Continue reading →

Today we began our summer 2017 family adventure: Washington DC, Virginia and North Carolina. Started the afternoon with a visit to the Smithsonian Museum of American History where we saw Archie Bunker’s chair, Indiana Jones’ hat and whip, Lincolns hat, … Continue reading →