Category Archives: Travel

Destin, FL

Keeping up with the theme of “Beautiful Places” which I seem to be on this week. I think we need to talk about Destin, Florida. Located on “the handle” of Florida, this place is as close to paradise as I’ve come.

We should get something straight before I start talking about the whitest, smoothest sand you’ve ever put your feet in and the crystal clear blue water that you never want to get out of. Growing up, every year we would go to Old Orchard Beach in Maine. Every year. It was awesome. I would play in the water all day and build all sorts of things in the sand and most of all my mom and I would scour the beach looking for shells and sand dollars. The difference in all this was even in August, the ocean water in Maine was cold and murky. I remember one year it was only like 50 degrees (I still went in it everyday and even got a cold) but it was worth it. I guess I’ve always been as much of an ocean gal as a country gal. The Maine sand was brown and granular, not as nice as the Destin sand. Maine was always an awesome fun getaway from landlocked Vermont but now I truly have a feeling for why my grandparents loved Florida so much!

Destin has become a personal paradise. Who are we kidding, I have a few of them don’t I. But I truly love this place and I can’t think Mitch and Judy enough for introducing it to me. A place where I actually get up fairly early (on vacation standards) to get on with the day and go to bed earlier than usual because I can’t wait to get on out there again the next day (except for the night before we have to leave). The drive there always seems to take forever and the drive home is just heart wrenching that I have to get back to “reality”. It’s the same every time… “Can’t I just have another day?!”

Destin. Pictures don’t do it any justice. The summer crowd is gone and it’s like you have paradise to yourself. I get up, go for a walk and look for shells, go for a swim and run from weird fish that look unfamiliar (I really don’t care for fish coming too close unless I’m on a boat and have a fishing pole in my hand), repeat walk and shell searching. Go in for lunch go back out and swap between reading books and passing out until the sun goes down and that is usually the time that I’m called in saying dinner is coming soon. Grilling! The brisk sea air putting that little extra bounce of curl into my hair that I really do love. “Snap out of it Diana, you are at your desk.”

As I was saying, Destin in awesome. There’s a lot to do. Beat boyfriends at mini putt down the street (or attempt), board games, parasailing (something that I though I would never do). Relaxing. Ah. Parasailing – there are a few different businesses that offer this and I will tell you to do it whether you are or are not scared of heights. Case in point – I am TERRIFIED! Sy wanted to go so bad so I said I would go. I said I would go, deep down I wasn’t sure if I was 100% on board it was more of a “If I don’t do this I’m going to kick myself kind of thing”. (This does not apply to me with skydiving by the way – another story, another day.) We are on the boat with another couple. They go first. Let’s just say I was nervous, on the verge of shaking. The two, we’ll call them “boat parasailing dudes” point out I’m nervous. I’m put into my harness, told to sit on the back of the boat and latched onto this rod/parachute. I screamed the first 100 feet up then when we reached 450 feet I was so mesmerized by the view it was breath-taking. Dolphins! My favorite thing about Destin, hands down. About 10-20 of them just outside of the cove. They brought us down, dipped us in the water and asked us how it was. My response “Let’s do it again! 2 for 1?!”

If you go to Destin, half the fun of sitting out on the beach all day is waiting for the show. By “show” I don’t mean anything dirty. Dolphins swim by early morning or at sunset and jump and spring from the water! They’re putting on a show! It’s my favorite part! Makes me feel pretty lucky to see something so beautiful

For more dolphin video’s check out my YouTube page.

Where is your paradise?

Virginia Is For Lovers

Oak Alley Plantation

Leave a reply

One of the most beautiful places I have been in the South is Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana. Believe me, I will be the first to tell you that I think Louisiana smells dog gone awful. This plantation proved to me that there are hidden gems everywhere, including Louisiana. Note: It didn’t smell on the plantation.

The plantation is located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. To get to the plantation, you must cross over this large bridge that goes over the Mississippi. The view alone will make you start grabbing for your camera. As soon as you cross over it (well I guess it all depends on which way you are coming from eh?) you take Route 18. Following this little old road, on the left you will go by old, little Southern homes and other plantations. On the right, there will be a bank and on the other side of that ole thing is the Ole Mississippi.

Near the end of the way you will come across Oak Alley Plantation. You can’t miss it as the trees, oh the trees are a sight to see. If you stand at the end of the walk you will look directly at the main house. If you are at the main house you will look directly at the Mississippi River. The magnitude of these trees is just magnificent. It completely takes your breath away. I think I could’ve taken pictures and just basked in the presence of these trees all day.

Some quick history – although to get the entire story you will have to go visit the plantation yourself!

The “Mansion” was originally built in the late 1830’s by George Swainy. His father-in-law was the architect of the home. When you think mansions today, I at least envision these 10,000 sq. ft homes. This isn’t the case. Mr Swainy was having the home built for his wife, a Southern belle from New Orleans. She left the city life to go live with her husband on the plantation and he wanted to provide her with a bit of the life she left behind. The home is grand, surrounded by 28 columns around the home. Each window has an adjacent window on the other side of the home to help the air flow thru and cool the house down. The entire first floor was covered in marble. It’s since been removed as one of the later owners of the home allowed his sons to race the horses thru the house. So the story goes. The home was originally built to be elegant and to host numerous parties.

Oak Alley was a sugar cane plantation. Sugar canes are still found on the surrounding property. Throughout the years, the home has passed thru numerous owners. The home still has some original pieces as well as the list of how much they paid for their slaves and other items within the home. The most expensive being the silverware.

The property also boasts luscious gardens, blacksmith building, “slave housing”, a restaurant, gift shop and you can even stay the night in the cottages if you like. Movies have also been filmed here. The tour of the home is spectacular. Spoken in the Cajun tongue, it really allows you to feel as if you’ve taken a step back in time and can partly envision what the home was like back years and years ago. The home itself is beautiful but I can’t imagine how it must have looked when it was just built. I asked the question… “Does anything weird ever happen here?”. Sure enough, the tour guides stated that you never feel alone in the home and that some have experienced strange phenomenons. I wouldn’t doubt it, nor would I want to be left there alone.

And the trees, I don’t think I’ll be able to get over the size of these trees. They were gorgeous!

If you are ever in Louisiana, be sure to swing by Oak Alley – someday I hope to make it back!