Childhood Remembrances
When I was little my siblings and I occasionally spent weekends with my Uncle Mike when he lived in Richmond. We always had a lot of fun when he took us bowling, to the movies, or playing pool and watching sports together in his bachelor pad basement. Thinking back, I have no idea how he fit us into his old red sports car! Three rambunctious kids was no joke and after a crazy incident at the bowling alley I wondered if he’d ever have us back again!
Around the same time my uncle got married and had kids, our weekends filled with social and sports activities, so we saw him less frequently. Eventually his family moved to Tennessee and he embarked on an amazing journey to start Safe Step tub and shower company. At the same time, I graduated from college and moved to Raleigh. Therefore, we’d only see his family during our annual Chinese Christmas gift exchange. Over the years I missed seeing his family because I could always count on some good stories and sports smack talk (he LOVES UVA).
After my mom passed away five years ago my uncle Mike committed to planning annual extended family vacations. His family still lives in Tennessee so it’s always lots of fun to get together with my cousins and catch up while we’re away together. For our most recent family vacation my uncle rented a large villa in the Providenciales region of Turks & Caicos. If there’s one place you need to visit in your lifetime, you must make it to Turks & Caicos! To think I was hesitant to go because the trip butted up against my kids’ new school year is crazy!
So, sixteen of us hunkered down in a gorgeous villa for the week and embraced everything about Turks & Caicos. We swam in the crystal clear waters, attended a local festival, visited a brewery (yes, they have a brewery), kayaked, paddle boarded, snorkeled, grocery shopped, took a sunset cruise, drove on the left-side of the road and more.
Getting Around Turks & Caicos
Turks & Caicos is a developing country (British-owned territory) made up of several islands. They speak english and accept American money. We stayed near the Sapodilla Bay area of Providenciales (aka Provo) which is in the southwestern part of the region. The island of Providenciales accounts for most of the country’s development. It has decent infrastructure, stores, and accommodations but imports just about everything. Several locals we spoke to mentioned how expensive shipping is and the slow government processes. In my opinion, the island’s natural marine beauty easily eclipses those shortcomings.
The flight from RDU to Turks & Caicos was super easy. We had a short layover in Ft. Lauderdale and then took a smaller plane to the Provo airport. It took awhile to get through customs, but the girls were so excited to get their first passport stamp. We quickly retrieved our bags, rented a car, and drove off full of fear on the left-side of the road!
Bill did most of the driving for the trip including the initial drive from the airport to the rental house which took about 15-20 minutes. I attempted to navigate us, but the lack of road signs, plentiful traffic circles, and random traffic lights tested my abilities (and our marriage)! We finally made it to the house and received the warmest welcome from the host’s staff.
We stayed in the residential area of Provo. Therefore, we had to drive when we wanted to visit the beaches, go out to eat, grab groceries or do any exploring. It was pretty common to see stray dogs (and even livestock) walking along the sides of the road. Groceries were very expensive there so get ready to pay about $90 for a 24-pack of American beer.
The Beaches
Sapodilla Bay Beach
Sapodilla Bay Beach is a public access beach located along Chalk Sound Dr in the residential area of Providenciales. We expected to see signs for the beach and parking, but did not, so we relied on our car’s GPS location relative to the map to figure out where the beach was located. Chalk Sound Dr is a narrow two-lane road with little shoulders. Parking is limited to on-street and across the street. Be sure to lock your doors and take any valuables with you.
After you park, walk through the desert shrubs towards the beach area. After a short walk, you’ll discover the reasons people come to Turks & Caicos – the white sandy beaches and turquoise waters! It’s absolutely beautiful! This beach was hardly busy; only a few families and some locals selling drinks, grilled burgers, and jet ski excursions. Compared to some east coast beaches it felt like we had the beach to ourselves. The beach is in a small cove so the water stays calm and shallow, too. We stayed all morning swimming in the water, making sand castles and enjoying the breath-taking views.
Our rental house was located less than a five minute drive from Sapodilla Bay Beach, so some of us paddleboarded out and back one morning. The wind on the ocean is consistently strong, which made paddling extra hard in one direction. I loved the freedom of traveling by paddleboard though!
Grace Bay Beach
One morning we headed into Provo’s resort area to explore Grace Bay Beach. Grace Bay Beach extends for miles on the northern side of Provo. We parked in a public parking lot between the Seven Stars and Ocean Club West and walked a short bit to find a spot at the water.
The Grace Bay Beach area was pretty busy with tourists, jet ski riders, parasails, and resort traffic. The water on this side of the island definitely had a beautiful emerald and teal blue color to it. The waves were choppier than at Sapodilla Bay Beach, but still a very calm beach. The sandy bottom felt comfortable on our toes, but we had to watch the kids more closely because the water levels were drastically different.
After hanging in the water we walked along the beach to scope out the different resorts. They all looked beautiful and relaxing, and I wondered how our trip would’ve been different had we stayed in a resort. We hoped to find a casual oceanfront place for lunch, but after looking around it wasn’t obvious if we could walk into any resort with wet clothes. Finally, we decided on walking back towards the car to find a casual spot on the main street.
Taylor Bay Beach
Taylor Bay Beach is a hidden gem of a beach! Located within walking distance of our villa, it’s tucked away in small secluded cove. We walked out about 50 yards and the water was still only to our knees! The water was crystal clear and warm, making it another great beach for kids.
Water Excursions
Half-Day Boat Charter
While staying in Provo we really wanted to take advantage of exploring this new island. Early in the week we booked a half-day excursion with Silly Creek Water Sports, which got fabulous Trip Advisor reviews. They offer half-day and full-day small group boating excursions in the western and southern areas of Provo.
First, they picked us up from our dock in the morning and drove us to Bay Cay, known for their iguanas. Over ten years ago, people brought iguanas to this small uninhabited island, which now acts as a sanctuary. As soon as we got off the boat, several of the iguanas came right up to us. Our captain, Cynthia, walked us around the small island and introduced us to the iguanas, which she recognized by name. Tyrone was super friendly, and even our kids got close enough to pet them. After spending about 20 minutes on the island my sister and I jumped off a cliff into the turquoise water and swam back to our boat that was waiting for us. Even though it was only about 10-12 feet above the water, it was still super thrilling and memorable!
After cliff jumping we boated to Pirate’s Cove island to seek out old pirate markings. We climbed up a ladder through the cave and walked around the top of the island. Cynthia showed us the centuries old carvings, which our kids really enjoyed. From the top we gazed around, taking in the gorgeous 360-degree views of the ocean.
Then, Cynthia drove us to one of her favorite snorkeling spots. The water was calm and only about 12 feet deep in this area, so the girls wore life jackets. To prep for snorkeling we bought the girls their own equipment earlier in the summer and they practiced breathing with snorkels in our neighborhood pool. It definitely took some getting used to, but having practiced before hand really gave them an edge.
Snorkeling with my family was one of the coolest, most memorable moments of the whole trip. We saw a lot of colorful fish and coral, but seeing a huge school of purple tangs was the favorite! To see your kids (age 5 & 7) experience a brave new adventure is truly breath-taking and made us so proud! I only wish I had an underwater camera to preserve a photo!
After snorkeling Cynthia drove us back to the house. She drove slower allowing us to enjoy some much deserved beers, snacks and conversation. We loved this excursion because we were able to customize the trip to our group, Cynthia took us to some exciting places, and she shared some history of the country.
Sunset Cruise
My uncle is a sunset seeking savage! On vacations he frequently plans his dinners around the local sunset time so he doesn’t miss a moment of the sun’s golden descent. He’s also the only person (other than maybe my mom) who frequently wears binoculars around his neck on vacation. He’s always on watch for the “green flash” and sometimes drives far distances to find the ultimate westerly viewing spot.
On the second night of our trip my uncle booked a sunset boat cruise with a local tour company. All sixteen of us boarded the pontoon boat for a two-hour excursion. The captain drove us along the western shoreline of the vacation homes near our place. He noted celebrities who’d frequented the islands and told stories about some of the homes, but after awhile all his storytelling lost its pizazz. The ride was a beautiful way to see the islands, but a bit too expensive.
I captured some decent sunset shots from the boat’s upper deck, which, despite the super windy conditions, were the best spot for photo ops. We never witnessed the “green flash”, but still came home with fun memories and group photos.
Chalk Sound National Park
As an early birthday present, Bill organized some time for us to explore the nearby Chalk Sound National Park by kayak. The Chalk Sound National Park is located in the southwest portion of Provo right off Chalk Sound Drive. It was a short 5 minute drive from our villa. We rented two single kayaks from Las Brisas restaurant and set off for a two-hour adventure.
The guide at Las Brisas advised us on the best “path” to kayak to ensure the fierce wind worked with us for most of the trip. Chalk Sound National Park is a beautiful turquoise lagoon with several small rocky islands. We kayaked westerly from Las Brisas and stopped at a few islands along the way. The iguanas darted around the islands and poked their heads out as we came ashore. The wind and water are slowly eroding the underpart of the islands leaving small rocky holes. Bill and I cautiously walked around so as not to cut our foot on the sharp pockets of land.
We paddled really hard against the fierce wind to get back to shore. We definitely wanted to explore more of the sound, but feared going further would be too exhausting to get back. After getting back to shore, we headed to the outdoor seating area of Las Brisas for a few mid-day drinks.
Places to Eat & Drink
Las Brisas
We rotated cooking most meals at home each night because our group was so large. I love to cook, so I always enjoy making food for other people and trying meals that others cook. However, the first night we were all a bit too excited to cook so we headed out for a big group dinner.
The western side of Provo is mostly residential so our nearby dining options were very limited. Luckily we stayed only a few minutes from Las Brisas, which is located on the beautiful Chalk Sound. They sat us outside on the deck where we enjoyed the beautiful views of the turquoise lagoon. We enjoyed fabulous service, seafood, drinks and family – I’d definitely recommend!
Turks Head Brewery
As I mentioned earlier, beer from the grocery stores cost upwards of $4 per can. In an effort to save money and explore the area, we delighted in finding Turk’s Head Brewery, a local brewery within 10 minutes of our rental house.
Turk’s Head Brewery features regular style craft beers (IPA, Lager, Amber Ale, Wheat, etc) along with some seasonals. My favorite was the GON-TA-NORT amber ale which was well-balanced and full of flavor. We enjoyed chatting with the bartender who explained the brewery’s logo was designed to look like the turks head cactus, which grows natively on the island. Before leaving, we shopped the merch and bought several six-packs to take home at a fraction of the cost of the imported beer in the grocery store.
Downtown Grace Bay
The Downtown Grace Bay area is full of walkable restaurants and shopping. During our visit to Grace Bay Beach we walked across Grace Bay Rd for lunch. Surprisingly, there weren’t many lunch options so we settled for the first one we saw at Skull Rock Mexican Restaurant. It was very crowded, so they seated our group of 7 fairly quickly.
We ordered a variety of tex-mex food, including lots of kid menu items. The fish tacos were our favorite! Overall, the food was decent, but nothing we’d seek out again. The beers were cold, service was quick and location was convenient to our beach outing!
Thursday Night Fish Fry
On the Thursday night of our stay we drove to Bight Children’s Park for the city’s weekly fish fry. Located adjacent to the ocean and in Central Providenciales, this event features live music, and local vendors selling prepared seafood and chicken dishes and yummy drinks. First, we walked by the vendors scoping out their menus items before settling on some fried conch, fresh fruit, french fries, jerk chicken and grilled fish. Then, we dashed to a covered picnic table to reserve a small spot for our entire group – it was a blazing hot night.
While half the group stayed at the picnic table the other half (of adults) grabbed beers from the Turks Head Brewery beer truck or tropical drinks made from freshly hollowed-out pineapples. The local food tasted fresh and full of flavor. I’m glad to have tasted fried conch, but to me it was too chewy. If you’re looking to take in the local scene, the Thursday night fish fry was such a lively, beautiful spot to explore.
If there’s a vacation we continually dream about revisiting it’s definitely Turks & Caicos.
Thumbs up: the beautiful blues and greens of the water, shallowness of the water, water sports, snorkeling experience, beautiful weather, local festivals, friendly locals
Thumbs down: very salty ocean so bring goggles or a mask, previous hurricanes damaged a lot of the homes in Provo and years later it still shows
Falls Lake Rolling View Campground
After a few hours at the beach, we headed back to the campsite for quick showers at the bath house. Then, we hiked a short trail through Loop B to access another playground. The girls spent at least an hour swinging on the tire swing – a big novelty to them. 
It’s week three of an NC cold wave and I’m longing for our hot summer hike in Kilmarnock, Va. When traveling last summer we started looking for hiking suggestions with the 
After parking at the trailhead we walked along the wooden walkway through the forest. We soon saw a sign post, and turned left to follow the North Loop. Shortly after starting along the North Loop we arrived on the Chesapeake Bay’s beautiful sandy shoreline. The sudden change from forest to deserted beach was breathtaking. The girls immediately waded into the water, while the adults took in the beautiful views. Being a flat undeveloped area, every direction we looked gave different views of a sandy shoreline, endless bay water, or grassy wetlands. It almost felt like we were on a deserted island.
We caught our breath at an observation deck where the swimming crabs distracted the little’s tears. This trail features a few observation decks that overlook the flat and vast wetland areas. After watching the crabs swim through the water we continued walking on the dirt trail back to the parking lot. Unfortunately, we ran into some dense bug families through the forested walk back. Since the girls regained their breath while watching the crabs, they miraculously sprinted through the dense bug fog, and made it back to the car in record time.
Our partially shaded campsite featured a flat gravel pad, picnic table and grill. There’s a short walk to the water, which we were hoping to use for fishing access, but unfortunately there was more poison ivy than we wanted to dodge. We found another access to the water, but the low-lying trees made casting difficult for the girls. Surprisingly, we didn’t have any neighbors during our entire stay. Though the girls were sad because they couldn’t play with new friends, it also meant they could run around like maniacs without worrying about traffic.
After lunch we headed to the recreation area to cool off in the beach. The recreation area at Loop E features a large sandy shoreline with designated swimming area. The water was refreshing and the boats racing by made fun waves for the girls. The girls loved catching the waves with their inner tubes and building sand castles on the shore. They enjoyed racing into the water and diving into the calm water. Even though the water was a little murky, they didn’t seem to mind.
After playing at the beach we headed back to our campsite for showers and dinner prep. The girls helped shuck corn for grilling on the fire pit while I made mac n cheese on the trailer range. We grilled chicken sausages, corn on the cob, hot dogs and cinnamon sugar filled apples for dessert. 
In May, we travelled to Nags Head for our annual trip with friends (and family this year, too) to run the Nags Head Preserve Yuengling 5k race. This year the race weekend coincided with the grand opening of Dowdy Park, located at the intersection of 
Dowdy Park features several play areas where kids can jump, run, swing, climb and slide until their hearts are content! The older kid playground has wide wheelchair-accessible ramps to musical and periscope play items. The ramp connects to stairs for climbing higher along a net bridge or to the ground via a rock wall. The other side of the net bridge features challenging ladders, a climbing tree stump and a fast, twisty slide. A colorful climbing hill with curved bars, musical instruments, balance beams, surfboards, bench swing, and merry-go-round are also located nearby. With the large festival and park attendance, it was overwhelming to keep track of multiple kids bouncing between so many activities.
The smaller kid playground features short steps up to ramps connected to a double slide. All the kids thoroughly enjoyed the nearby rolling slide. They loved making rattling noises as they slid down the bumpy slide. Across from the small kid playground is a wheelchair-accessible ride. It allows folks in wheelchairs to reverse their chair onto a ramp and swing. And, a playground near the beach wouldn’t be complete without a little sand – just follow the sea turtle flipper prints! Short pier pilings line the sandbox area, which has a large climbing sea turtle in the middle.
Also near this area are hopscotch and twister games, checkers tables, another climbing hill, picnic tables and benches. On this particular day vendors lined the perimeter of the open green space area. Park-goers filled the open green space area watching the performances under the covered pavilion. Throughout the park you’ll find pieces of art, such as the nautilus stamps shells, temporary art pole exhibit, and wooden paintings. Even though Dare County is mostly known for its beaches, I’ve always been impressed with the 
Last summer Bill and I biked by this 
It hadn’t rained recently so the beachy area was actually wider and longer than I’ve seen it at other times and the river flowed slowly.  The water was pretty warm except in the middle of the river, which was over our heads in several spots.  We didn’t bring life jackets with us and the water wasn’t very clear so the girls mostly played near the shore line looking for tadpoles, playing in the sand/mud, or splashing in the water with the other young family that was there.  While we were there a few paddle boarders passed by including a father and young daughter out for a ride (next summer’s bucket list goal).
Over New Years we spent time with dear friends at their parent’s new home in Murrells Inlet, SC. I’ve known Jennie since 6th grade and Bill and Jennie’s husband, Gary, became fast friends over a decade ago when we first met Gary. With growing families and distance (they’ve been in Columbus, OH) our time spent together has been few and far between. Lucky for us they are moving to the Greater Raleigh area this Spring so our families will get more time together, which is great news for us and our kids, as they’ve all become fast friends too!
The weather was unusually warm around New Years so shortly after arriving we took advantage of the remaining sun and made the short drive to Huntington Beach State Park, located at 
The next day we returned to the park to explore the Education Center, which is only open during daytime hours and offers daily feeding times where you can watch and learn how they feed several of the animals.  With about two dozen animals to look at and learn about, we spent well over an hour in the center.  They have a touch-tank with a horseshoe crab and stingray, a star fish, baby alligator, terrapins, snakes, turtles, and some hands-on exhibits about the nearby environment.  The tanks are at perfect heights for little ones to get in on the action. After we exhausted the Education Center, the kids enjoyed a snack on the outdoor benches and we ran along the boardwalk overlooking the saltwater marshes.  We learned about the numerous inhabitants – spider crabs, stone crabs, snapping shrimp, oysters, alligators, and lots of birds.  Even though we didn’t see any of the 50-100 alligators living in the park we saw several oysters and lots of birds up close!
Believe it or not, Nags Head has hills and I’m not talking about the sand dunes near the beach or at 
So, we set off on the trail and before you knew it we were in a dense forest just minutes from the beach. The unpaved trail is covered in pine needles, but well marked; Ashley was even able to follow the trail markings to stay on the path. After heading straight for awhile, we climbed steps up a steep hill to what felt like the ridge of a mountain – the trees were shorter and all of a sudden we were walking down a sandy hill. I quickly learned that kids love sand unless they have to hike through it. After several moments of juggling kids on shoulders and in carriers and distractions of the colorful flowers, berries, and butterflies, the sandy trail base was replaced with the preferred compact pine needle trail. We took a right to stay onto the looped portion of the trail. Along the way we passed by several swamps (complete with croaking frogs), more steep hills with steps, spooky Charleston-like trees, and several different plant communities. Halfway around the trail loop is access to Trail #3 (Blueberry Ridge), but we decided to save that trail for another time.
