Tag: nature

Cumberland Island Vacation Guide

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Cumberland Island National Seashore is one of our absolute favorite places in Georgia! Pristine beaches, wild horses, and a mansion in ruin are a few highlights of why we love this place! If you’re a nature lover like we are, look no further for your next unique beach destination.

Cumberland Island Vacation Guide - A Friend Afar

Nature on Cumberland Island

There’s a whole lot of the natural world to see on Cumberland Island. It’s Georgia’s largest and southernmost barrier Island; in fact, it’s almost twice the size of the island of Manhattan! Cumberland Island hosts a variety of wildlife, and you’ll see numerous species even on a short day trip. The island is famous for its wild horse population. They tend to congregate in areas where there’s grass, so it’s not unusual to see them near the ruins and houses. The population of horses is usually between 150 and 200, so it’s very likely you’ll also see them along paths or in the sand dunes. You might also run into armadillos, rattlesnakes, white-tailed deer, wild boars and turkeys, and even the occasional alligator, not to mention all of the birds! We’ve even seen dolphins on the ferry ride over there, so don’t forget your camera! [Note: Keep a healthy distance from the wild horses. The photos below are an exception as this young horse near Greyfield Inn came up to us! We let her nibble on our sleeves a bit, but then we gave her some space.]

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Meagan Martz at A Friend Afar

Meagan grew up in the North Georgia Mountains and spent her first trip abroad in Italy. She’s been traveling all over the world ever since, learning Spanish, Japanese, and Thai. She travels for the food, the culture, and the history.

http://www.AFriendAfar.com
Costa Rica

Guest Post: Leaving My Comfort Zone in Costa Rica

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Today’s post is by our good “friend afar,” Emily! She recently traveled to Costa Rica for an anniversary trip with her husband. We’ve known Emily for over a decade now, so we loved hearing about how she faced her fears and the wonderful adventures she had in return.

For my 5th anniversary, my husband and I decided to take a big trip.  I am absolutely a read and relax on vacation kind of girl so when we settled on Costa Rica as the destination, I was a little terrified.  I knew the trip would be lots of hiking, sight-seeing, and adventure.  I decided early on to buck up and really enjoy the ride, and I made a promise to myself not to complain and to push myself to be uncomfortable.

We started our trip in gorgeous Arenal, and it was exactly as expected: crazy driving on dirt roads, 8+ miles a day of hiking, and hundreds of steps climbed.  By the time we reached Monte Verde and saw both a pit viper snake and a tarantula right beside our hiking trail, I knew I definitely wasn’t in my element any more!!  Still, I was proud of myself for taking it all in stride and really appreciating the sites and experiences that came with quite the workout.   I knew, however,  the true test of my resolve would come towards the end of the trip when we planned to take a zip line canopy tour.
Guest Post: Leaving My Comfort Zone in Costa Rica- Getting Ready- www.afriendafar.com #costarica

It only got higher from there!

I don’t think I can communicate enough how terrified of heights I am.  I get queasy even when driving near a cliff or drop off! We went to some hanging bridges at the beginning of the trip, and I had to dart as fast as I could across them to keep from panicking.  By the end of the 6 bridges I was doing a little better and able to take my time a little.
 Guest Post: Leaving My Comfort Zone in Costa Rica- Bridge- www.afriendafar.com #costarica

Hanging bridges may have broken me in a little at the start of the trip, but dangling by a cable for the mile long zip line didn’t sound like my idea of fun! My husband, however, was beyond thrilled! Standing around, in full gear waiting for instruction, I nervously chatted with my husband about how safe he though everything was.  Two guys nearby jumped in and assured me everything looked pretty good, except the hand breaking, which they had never done before.  Turns out this was their 3rd zip line trip, and they had done this before in Puerto Rico and Mexico.  It was great to get some tips from people with experience! Come to find out, one of the pair actually works at the same company as me in another office!  The world has honestly never felt so small!

For the entire experience, they stuck with us, encouraged me, and even used their Go Pro to video my trip down the mile long zip line.  It was amazing how meeting these strangers totally eclipsed my fear!  Hanging a mile above the earth, dangling from a wire was so invigorating!!  It was worth pushing through those terrifying moments in the beginning! It wasn’t an experience I will soon forget! I was so glad I had leaned into the fear instead of missing out, and I’m so grateful for my husband and new friends for encouraging me to be brave.

hot springs near Arenal: Guest Post: Leaving My Comfort Zone in Costa Rica- Tarantula- www.afriendafar.com #costarica

It was worth it for the chance to relax in these amazing hot springs near Arenal!

Traveling to new places can be scary.  There are language barriers, lack of street signs, and different customs and traditions to navigate.  If I hadn’t faced these fears, I wouldn’t have been able to relax in the hot springs in Arenal, summit above the Cloud Forest in Monte Verde, and see all the monkeys in Manuel Antonio.  Surround yourself with people who will cheer you on and maybe even buy that plane ticket with you.  Nothing is more rewarding that looking head on into those fears and leaping into adventure anyway.
Meagan Martz at A Friend Afar

Meagan grew up in the North Georgia Mountains and spent her first trip abroad in Italy. She’s been traveling all over the world ever since, learning Spanish, Japanese, and Thai. She travels for the food, the culture, and the history.

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Camping Out West in the US

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TOP 5 NATIONAL PARKS FOR CAMPING OUT WEST

I grew up camping with my family and enjoy being in the great outdoors, hiking, viewing wildlife, and stargazing. I have a National Parks of the West guide on my bookshelf that I peruse often for inspiration. If you’re planning your next adventure, don’t miss these top 5 National Parks for camping out west!

Camping Out West

Grand Teton

Grand Teton

I loved that everywhere you go in Grand Teton National Park you see the Tetons mountain range. Our first night we stayed at the Gros Venture campground, which does not accept reservations, but there were plenty of sites still available even though we arrived late.  We also stayed at Jenny Lake and woke up early for the breakfast boat tour to Elk Island from the Colter Bay Village Marina, which should not be missed. Camping when you fly to your destination presents a unique challenge, but when one in our party lost their luggage, we found out the hard way that sleeping bags are available for rent at some of the campgrounds.

Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is one of the most popular parks in the US and is pretty darn fantastic. I will forever remember a comment by a British woman in the bathroom in one of the campgrounds as we were getting ready. She said that if she was American she’d never leave the US because of all the natural beauty there is to see. It has stuck with me because it reminds me to balance my desire to see the world with taking advantage of seeing my own country. I’ve stayed at Grant Village, Mammoth, Canyon and Bridge Bay campgrounds but Mammoth stands out because the elk graze near the sites. Bridge Bay was also a favorite because of its proximity to Yellowstone Lake. Beware of the bears and do bring bear spray!

Zion

Zion National Park

Zion National Park was one of my top Utah parks to visit. We stayed at the South Campground near the entrance to the park.  There are a few cottonwood trees in some sites but it is in the desert.  One of the most famous hikes in the park is The Narrows, where you’re hiking on a riverbed with the canyon walls on both sides of you.  It’s pretty spectacular and worthwhile even if you can only do a section of it.  Walking sticks and shoes for hiking in the water are available for rent at the general store near the visitor’s center.  If you want a challenge hike and you like heights, don’t miss Angel’s Landing Trail which includes the Walter’s Wiggles switchbacks.

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Hoodoos, the limestone formations in Bryce Canyon, are majestic and make for a unique, fun hiking experience a Navajo/Queen’s Garden Loop. The 18 mile scenic drive is perfect if you are short on time but want to see all that the park has to offer. The two campgrounds, North and Sunset, are both near the visitor’s center just after the park entrance. The stargazing is spectacular- I even saw the Milky Way!

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

I haven’t been to the Grand Canyon since I was twelve years old, but I’m putting this one of my list for nostalgia’s sake. And it’s the Grand Canyon!  I do remember being amazed by the canyon and my favorite activity was a rafting trip we took on the Colorado River.  I hear that Mather Campground is a nice option and accepts reservations depending on the time of year.  I’m hoping to go back in the near future and tackle hiking Bright Angel Trail to the bottom of the canyon. [Photo: Laura Brown]

If you want more inspiration, also check out a few more national park posts: National Parks & Seashores of the East, 2 National Parks of the West to Visit, and National Historical Parks. Also take a look at the Find Your Park site for stories and more about all the parks nationwide!

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

Stephanie grew up road-tripping across the U.S., but her first flight was to Australia, and she’s been hooked ever since. She lived abroad in Thailand, where she met Meagan, and in Ghana with Peace Corps and has been to over 30 countries on 6 continents. She travels for the adventure, the stories, and nature.

http://www.AFriendAfar.com