pool

North Landing Beach RV Resort, Va

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Last summer we met up with Virginia friends at a convenient campground with easy beach access. We needed a place with rental cottages and RV spots, and after researching places we decided on North Landing Beach RV Resort. If you haven’t been to North Landing Beach (aka the NLB), it’s a little slice of heaven you have to experience. With its family-friendly beach, mix of camping and cabin rentals, super fun on-site events and secluded location, this place has it all!

Getting There

North Landing Beach RV Resort is located about 20 miles south of Virginia Beach at 161 Princess Anne Rd just north of the VA/NC border. It’s part of a peninsula that stretches across the NC/VA border and sits between the North Landing River and a few bays that dump into the Currituck Sound. Usually when you hear Currituck Sound you think of the Duck/Carova areas of NC. However, this place is in VA, close to the remote coastal community of Knotts Island and a ferry ride from the Outer Banks.

Driving from Raleigh, it took about 3 hours to reach North Landing Beach. Because of the campground’s unique location we drove through small towns of Elizabeth City and Moyock, both we hadn’t previously seen. We felt perplexed seeing newer neighborhoods scattered among all the farmlands. After talking to locals in the area, we learned that many families live out this way and commute up to the VA Beach/Newport News area for work.

The Campground

After check-in, we meandered through the gravel roads underneath the pine trees to our campsite. Our campsite (spot #625) was by far one of the best spots in the park. Located next to a canal, we enjoyed lots of waterfront space so we had plenty of room to spread out for fishing and being loud exploring. We could also easily holler to our friends staying in a rental cottage across the canal.

Speaking of rental cottages, our friends raved about the 2 bedroom cottage they stayed in for the weekend. It featured a full kitchen, small living area, full bathroom, two bedrooms, and deck overlooking the canal. Their location was convenient for using their kayak, being close to us, and having easy access to the beach.

After setting up our campsite, we explored the recreational amenities, community gathering spots, and beach areas. This campground features a large pool, a variety of sports courts, bounce house, putt-putt golf, kayak rentals, easy river beach access, and organized events/activities. We participated in the watermelon-eating contest, which was hilarious and brought out a competitive streak I hadn’t previously seen in my kids. We also rode on the super soaker float where we squirted campground guests with water guns! Watch out – some campers hid behind their RVs and soaked us with hoses!

On Saturday night we attended the low country boil and live music concert at the pavilion. The event was crowded, but the food line moved fairly quickly and the live music was greatly entertaining. The staff worked tirelessly to keep the food fresh, hot and delicious! We listened to the band play great cover music for at least an hour while our kids played independently nearby – win, win! Another night, we watched the private fireworks display set off by the campsite and it was unbelievable!

Play & Hike Outside

When we weren’t enjoying planned activities at the campground we spent most of our time at the beach. From our campsite, we walked less than five minutes to the beach. Being on a large river, the water was much calmer than the ocean, making it great for young families. The water was also pretty shallow, so the kids could swim out pretty far before needing to come in closer.

Since we visited over Father’s Day weekend, the dads enjoyed lots of fishing, though they didn’t catch much. The kids had recently started using nets to dredge up murk and look for tadpoles in bodies of fresh water. They brought their nets and buckets on this trip and although they didn’t find many tadpoles, they loved the hunt, especially with friends.

On Sunday morning we explored the nearby Charles Kurwalt trail on Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge. The National Wildlife Refuge System manages lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife, and plants. The Mackay Island refuge and surrounding waters support many species of resident and migratory fish and wildlife. We first stopped at the Charles Kuralt Overlook on the left-hand side of Marsh Causeway. The overlook provides beautiful views of the nearby marshes and that’s about all. Feeling disappointed, we continued south about 200 yards and found a roadside pull-off spot for the Great Marsh Trail.

The Great Marsh Trail is an easy 0.3 loop trail around a marsh. Despite some whining from the kids, it was a beautiful hike. We heard lots of wildlife and spotted several turtles in the water. We saw berry bushes, cattails, and flowering trumpet vines. Mackay Island refuge features more hiking trails, a visitor center and a sure way to escape in nature.

During our campground stay we met several families who live nearby, which we thought was unusual. They mentioned they love staying at NLB on the weekends, a real tribute to the daydreaming and fun anyone can have here.

Thumbs Up:

  • variety and uniqueness of fun activities and amenities
  • mix of rental cottages and rv spots
  • beautiful and calm river beach
  • sunset views

Thumbs Down:

  • nothing to report
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Lake Johnson Pool

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img_2143This post originally appeared on Southwestraleigh.com where you learn more about how to live, work and play in the Creative District.

Are you looking for a fun way to cool off this summer in the Creative District?  Then head to Lake Johnson Pool where you can catch a tan, swim some laps, or let the little ones burn off some energy.

Lake Johnson Pool is located at 1416 Athens Dr, adjacent to Athens Drive High School.  Turn down the side street opposite Athena Woods Dr and continue until you see the pool sign on the left.  There is a smaller parking lot near the pool gate entrance and an overflow parking lot not too far away.  The building with the main entrance contains the locker rooms, vending machines, guard office, and a small shelter area.

After walking through the main building you have your choice of three different swim areas: wading pool, open swim and lap lane pool, and splash garden.  The wading pool is a separately fenced-in area with a water depth of 10-in to 18-in and a large spray fountain at one end.  There is a small canopy for shade near the gate and a large amount of deck space between the pool and fence.  With the pool just opening the weekend before and the lack of summer heat thus far, the water was chilly, but refreshing.

The splash garden is a separately fenced-in area that has a concrete deck with several fun water features.  It has several small fountains, two fire hoses, a spray fountain, and a water bucket feature.  There’s a small grassy area nearby for watching the little ones play.

The large pool area has an open swim area and a few lap lanes.  The water depth starts at 4 ft and goes up to 5 ft 6 in.  There’s a grassy area surrounding most of the pool with piles of plastic deck chairs for patrons to set out as needed.  Picnic tables are sparse, but there’s quite a bit of grassy area to spread out blankets and towels.  Also sprinkled around the pool are flower gardens, trees, and wind chimes.

Here are the operating hours and pool fees for Lake Johnson Pool:

Fees

  • Ages 1-12: Resident – $1/Non-Resident – $2
  • Ages 13-54: Resident – $3/Non-Resident – $6
  • Ages 55+: Resident – $2/Non-Resident – $4

Wading & Spray Pool

  • Mon-Fri: 9am-8pm
  • Sat: 10am-8pm
  • Sun: 1-6pm

Open Swim

  • Mon-Fri: 12pm-8pm
  • Sat: 10am-8pm
  • Sun: 1-6pm

Adult Lap Swim

  • Mon-Fri: 8am-8pm
  • Sat: 9am-8pm
  • Sun: 1-6pm

Lake Johnson Pool is open until September 3.  Visit the City of Raleigh website for more information about admission fees/policies and days of operation.

Thumbs up: landscaping inside pool, grassy picnic spots, fenced-in wading pool and splash garden

Thumbs down: locker room areas, lack of picnic tables

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Day Seven: Millbrook Exchange Park

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On the seventh day of Raleigh Parks Christmas, Kris gave her husband Bill (that’s me) an assignment: visit the Carolina Pines dog park with the dog and baby while she was doing Raleigh Jaycees board of directors stuff. After some confusion about where the car seat and stroller were, we ended up at a different dog park: Millbrook Exchange.

There’s a lot going on at Millbrook Exchange: a pool, community center, tennis center, dog park, basketball courts, baseball fields, and playground. Today, we just explored the dog park.

There are actually two dog parks here, sharing a common fence: a large area (maybe 2 acres) for large dogs, and a small area (1/4 acre-ish) for small dogs. Ripken plays like a large dog, but he can get crazier than a sack of rabid weasels at the dog park and I’ve got a baby to manage, so we stick to the vacant small dog area.

There are plenty of water bowls, tennis balls, and poop bags; no need to bring your own. Lots of mature hardwoods and pines, too–perfect for shade in the summer or doggie outhouse all year round.

Ripken and Ashley both had a blast, and we left the dog park after dozens of Ripken races up and down the fence

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and horsey rides for Ashley on daddy’s shoulders.

Next, we walked around and photo-documented some of the other facilities, as you can see in the gallery below. But, it was getting close to nap time and we had to split. This one deserves another visit and a feature-length post in the spring.

Thumbs up: Lots of mature trees, tons of facilities, both large and small dog parks.

Thumbs down: Seems like parking might be an issue on nice days; it was 75% full on a damp Saturday morning in December.

Lake Johnson Park

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Picturesque. Serene. Beloved. All words to describe my recent visits to Lake Johnson Park.

Lake Johnson Park is located in the heart of southwest Raleigh at 4601 Avent Ferry Rd. Its popularity is evident with the many parking lots scattered throughout the park. On two of the mornings I visited, I had to loop around the lot a few times before a spot opened up. Other parking areas are highlighted on this map and can be found further down Avent Ferry Rd on the left, off Lake Dam Dr, at Athens Dr High School, or at Lake Johnson Pool.

The main entrance is where you’ll find the large veranda, deck, conference room, concessions, restrooms, rentals, live bait/tackle vending machines, and the boat put-in area. The veranda, conference room, and deck are available for rent. Paddle boats, jon boats, sunfish sailboats and canoes/kayaks are also available for rent. Rocking chairs along the perimeter of the deck provide peaceful views of the lake. There are also several picnic tables and information boards highlighting several of the unique park programs (boot camp, nature photography, fly fishing, sailing). Even though most have already begun, the fall programs such as the kayak and canoe lessons for ages 12+ are starting soon. Call 919-233-2121 for more information. Stroller Strides also runs fitness classes for moms/dads with kids on Tues/Thurs mornings and is beginning a mom/dad 5k training program on Friday, Aug. 26th.

Avent Ferry Rd splits Lake Johnson in half and there is a paved trail loop on the eastern half and an unpaved trail loop on the western half. The trail is the Lake Johnson Segment of the Walnut Creek greenway trail. Park maps can be found at several of the parking areas, but if you head east on the trail from the main entrance you’ll find a helpful map detailing distances and features of the park.

Distances around the park:

  • West Loop (unpaved, prohibited to biking) = 2.15 miles
  • East Loop (paved) = 2.75 miles
  • Full Loop = 4.33 miles
  • East to west loop from the bridge = 1.32 miles

East Trail – This is a wide, paved path perfect for biking, strolling kids/dogs, walking, and running. The trail is enveloped in large trees that provide great shade. You’ll find beautiful views of the lake throughout this trail, especially along the dam and boardwalk. You’ll also pass a few benches, swings, and shelters for rent along this trail. Shelter 2 has two picnic tables and a large charcoal grill and Shelter 4 has four picnic tables, several benches, and a large charcoal grill. Magnolia Cottage is a medium-sized building tucked deep in the woods that can also be rented for events. If you head clockwise on the trail from the main parking lot the trail starts off flat and then gets rather hilly after crossing the dam.

West Trail – This is a fun trail for hiking or trail running. Bikes are prohibited and I would recommend using a Baby Bjorn or back pack if bringing an infant/very young child. Use caution on the trail, as it is mostly a narrow, hilly, dirt trail with roots covering the path. Nature photography opportunities are galore on this trail. You can also access Lake Johnson Pool from the West Trail. Even though we didn’t have time for a visit inside the pool, from the outside there looks to be a spray garden, baby pool, and main pool with lap lanes and free swim area.

After a two year hiatus from visiting Lake Johnson Park until last week, I’ve been back three times and it is quickly becoming a favorite. Between the scenic views, boating opportunities, great running trails, and safeness of the area it’s a must-visit park!

Thumbs up: shady trails, scenic views, condition of paved trail, boating opportunities, security, facility rentals, mile markers along East trail, peacefulness

Thumbs down: confusing signage (especially along West Trail)

This post originally appeared on soutwestraleigh.com, where you can learn more about what a great place South West Raleigh is to live, work, and play.

Ridge Road Pool

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With the summer heat in full gear there’s no better place to cool off than at the pool. This past week we explored Ridge Road Pool at 1709 Ridge Rd in Raleigh. It’s adjacent to Martin Middle School, so as you pass the school, bear right where you’ll find the pool parking lot. The crape myrtles in the parking lot provide shade while you’re relaxing at the pool.

The sidewalk leading down to the pool entrance passes by the nicely terraced landscaping and bike rack areas. Before heading into the pool, you have to stop by the front desk to pay the entrance fee. Since I’m a Raleigh resident and I had a child under 1, we only had to pay $3. Once you pay, you’ll pass the restrooms, the lifeguard office, and the life vest rental office.

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Hello World

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So, what do you do when you have a new baby, are no longer working, and have lots of free time? #1 Get out of the house (baby cries are less ear-deafening with trees, cars, and people to absorb them) and #2 find free things to do. Since I’ve got baby Ashley with me we needed to find some appropriate mommy/daughter things to do (unfortunately free beer/wine tastings were out…so sorry Wine Merchant and Lonerider).

Growing up my mom spent a lot of time taking me and my brother and sister to the local county parks and pools in Stafford, VA so I thought it was only natural to introduce baby Ashley to the various parks throughout Raleigh.  Unfortunately the county and city websites in Raleigh lack a lot of details on each park and there’s not an easy way to search for what you’re looking for in a park.  So, we’ve decided to venture out to all the parks, playgrounds, trails, and pools in Raleigh and report back with photos, details, and our general feedback on each one.

My husband, Bill, and I have been to several of the Raleigh parks in the past but we were more interested in the bike trails and tennis courts.  With baby around now, I’m looking for even sidewalks, shade, and long trails.  Even though baby Ashley is years away from personally enjoying my crazy get-out-and-explore mentality I’m sure she’ll enjoy looking at the pictures and stories of our adventures when she’s old enough. Who knows…maybe she’ll take her daughter on similar adventures one day 🙂  So, here we are at one of our first adventures at Lassiter Mill Park:

Sitting at Lassiter Mill Park
One of our first adventures to Lassiter Mill Park