Tag Archives: family fun

Local Secrets of Northern Arizona!

Work camping jobs are normally around six months long.  One of the things we love about being able to stay in an area for a while is the fact that eventually, we get to check out some of the things that the locals know about, but the average tourist never gets to experience.

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Here are three of our favorite “local secrets” that we have enjoyed over the past few months…

Bill Williams Mountain

The tiny town of Williams is surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks.  These are part of the San Francisco volcanic field.  Now dormant, these beautiful peaks used to be active volcanos!

Bill Williams Mountain is the tallest of those peaks surrounding Williams and is named after Old Bill Williams, a scout, guide and mountain man who lived in the 1800s.

We heard that there was a dirt road available to get to the top.  At 9,256 feet above sea level at the peak, it was sure to be an amazing view.  So we set out to find it!

local secrets of williams arizona

Instructions to get to this local secret are as follows:

Take 4th street out of town toward Dogtown lake.  Go 4.7 miles from downtown and turn at the first dirt road on the right, just after the speed limit drops to 35 miles per hour.

Yep, it isn’t marked very well.  Hence the local secret, right?

local secrets of williams arizona

Warning- do not try to take this road in inclement weather, right after a rain, or in a vehicle that sits very low to the ground.

It is a total of 6.9 miles from the main road to the top of the mountain.  The road is in relatively good shape, but is steep and full of many switch backs and hairpin turns.

Oh, and there is no guard rail.

local secrets of williams arizona

The view is well worth it.  Our little KIA “I-think-I-canned” the whole way up.  We were glad we traded the VW bug in.  It sat so low to the ground that it never would have made it.

local secrets of williams arizona

At the very top of the mountain you will find a large antenna farm.  We were careful to respect any no trespassing signs as we took in the view from the top.

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Here we were at 9,256 feet above sea level and we could literally see for miles!

local secrets of williams arizona

Want to go a little higher?  Well, there is a fire tower on the top of the mountain too!

Dave refused to climb it, but I decided to brave it and climbed about half way up.

local secrets of williams arizona

From there I had an amazing, unblocked view of all directions.  Down below I was able to make out the campground.

local secrets of williams arizona

Fall is in the air this time of year and the journey to the top of Bill Williams Mountain was full of beautiful photo opportunities.

local secrets of williams arizona

The ride to the top and back down is full of beautiful scenery and definitely worth the effort.  For those that enjoy a good strenuous hike, there are some great trails that also go to the top of this mountain.  Just be aware of changing weather, and local wildlife.

And true to most local secrets, we didn’t run into a single person the entire trip.  I love these kind of secrets!

Click here for secret #2!

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Wild Arizona- Bearizona and Grand Canyon Deer Farm

One of the perks of working for KOA campgrounds is that often we are given free tickets to check out local attractions.  This helps us to better recommend these attractions to our campers.  That being said, we decided to take advantage of this perk and visited two animal parks within a few miles of the campground.

bearizona and grand canyon deer farm

Bearizona Drive-Thru Wildlife Park

Bearizona was our first stop.  Located in the town of Williams, approximately three miles from the campground, It is a must see for children and animal lovers alike.

Bearizona does not want to be known strictly as a zoo.  It is a drive-through wildlife park where visitors can get up close and personal with some amazingly beautiful and wild animals.

bearizona and grand canyon deer farm

Yep, up close and personal with wild bears!

For a $20 admission for adults and $10 for children, you can actually drive your own vehicle along a three mile gravel road to see bears, wolves, buffalo, deer, elk and other wild animals right up next to your car!

The question we get asked the most is do you really see lots of bears there?  Up close and in your face?

bearizona and grand canyon deer farm

Um…yes.

There are many, many bears there.  In fact, the park asks that as you drive through the bear exhibit, you do not stop your car.

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You see, the bears love to climb and have been known to not only climb on top of vehicles, but take their own little souvenirs too.  Like maybe your license plate, side mirror or bumper.

bearizona and grand canyon deer farm

Fortunately for those of us that kinda like our cars, they also offer a free shuttle into the drive through area.  You can drive through in your own car, take the shuttle, or even do both!

The nice thing about the shuttle is that you have a very informed driver who talks about the animals, gives you their names as she sees them and tells you background stories on them.

bearizona and grand canyon deer farm

Along with the drive through section is Fort Bearizona, where bear cubs, river otters, foxes, pigs, goats, and other animals are on display in man-made habitats.

Fort Bearizona has a great set-up where the animals are easily seen, but we aren’t a bother to them.  They are happy to bask in the sun nearby and allow beautiful photos.

bearizona and grand canyon deer farm

If the premise of Bearizona sounds familiar, it is because it is owned and run by the sons of the owners of Bear Country in the Black Hills of North Dakota.

Click here for more…

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Taking a ski lift up into the clouds…

We work five days a week with two days off right now.  So on those two days, we like to become tourists and visit something fun in the area.

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I mean, who wants to stay in the RV all day?

Fortunately, there is so much to choose from around here that I doubt we will have a single weekend without some place new to see.

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This photo was taken in May, shortly after we got here.  We were very surprised to see snow capped mountains right in our back yard. This mountain range is called The San Francisco Peaks.

The tallest mountain in the range, Humphreys Peak, is the highest point in the state of Arizona at 12,633 feet in elevation.

san francisco peaks flagstaff arizona

We took a ride out to the Arizona Snowbowl, a ski resort located on the San Francisco Peaks.   Opened in 1938, the Arizona Snowbowl is one of the longest running resorts in the West having been open for 75 years.

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You see, we heard that they will take you up on the ski lift for a nominal fee.

And we totally couldn’t pass that up!
san francisco peaks flagstaff arizona

The chair lift officially opened for the summer right after Memorial Day.  We were very excited to check it out.

Dave and I were skiers in our younger days.  We choose not to break any bones at this stage in our lives, so we have to settle for a summer ski lift.  But I have to tell you, that it brought back great memories!

Click here for more!

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A Yabba Dabba Doo Time!

On the way back from visiting the south rim of the Grand Canyon, we noticed this fabulous sign from the past welcoming us to a campground/roadside attraction named Bedrock City.

We totally had to stop. 

flintstones park arizona

We both grew up in the 60’s and 70’s, and like many of our generation, we absolutely loved the Flintstones.  After taking several photos at the entrance, we decided to come up with the $5 entrance fee and see what was hidden behind those big brick walls.  

I’ve always been a sucker for campy and fun.  And Bedrock City, located smack in the middle of the dusty high desert seemed very promising!

flintstones park arizona

After paying our entrance fees, we walked into a stone age ghost town.

Originally opening in 1972 at the height of the Flintstones popularity, Bedrock City once was a thriving road side attraction, offering live actors playing Fred Flintstone and the rest of the stone age crew, rides, a theater and much more.

Fourty-four years later, this little attraction is not much than a run down shadow of its former self.

flintstones park arizona

Bedrock City also included a small restaurant, a dark and dusty gift shop, and a campground that has seen better days.  Of course, this did not deter us much.  I love a photo opportunity, and there were plenty of those to choose from.

flintstones park arizona

The amusement park, while silent, was full of colorful representations of the old cartoon series.  Unfortunately, the remaining structures at Bedrock City are in currently in terrible disrepair, with crumbling buildings and character replicas that need more than just a fresh coat of paint after baking in the desert sun for 44 years.

Click here to continue reading…

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Amarillo by Morning…

On our way west towards Williams, AZ, for our new summer job, we made a couple pit stops along the way.  One of the more impressive ones was Amarillo, Texas.

traveling in amarillo texas

Traveling along Interstate 40, once you get on the west side of Oklahoma City, the land flattens out where you can see for miles and miles.

The winds were strong.  Dave said it felt like he was driving a sail boat.  We were getting gusts of 15 to 25 mile an hour winds which seemed to be from the south, rocking the RV as we tried to make our way west.

Car sickness may or may not have ensued…

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We had a scheduled stop in Amarillo and were very glad to get off the highway after about a 5 hour drive from Oklahoma City.

So why Amarillo?

So much to see and do here!  Unfortunately, we only had one day to take it all in, so we chose a couple places that intrigued us.  But keep in mind if you are ever in Amarillo, there are canyons, museums, botanical gardens, and even a huge livestock auction where you can hang out with real cowboys and get a glimpse of the cattle industry that is so huge in this area of the country.

traveling in amarillo texas

We stayed at the Amarillo KOA and pretty much had the park to ourselves.  I loved the wide open spaces!

traveling in amarillo texas

These little guys greeted us at the campground store entrance.  Amarillo must be home of the mariachi bands!

Or maybe the home of colorful metal musicians…

Cadillac Ranch

traveling in amarillo texas

Once settled, our first order of business was to go out and visit Cadillac Ranch.  Unfortunately, we had an issue with the tow cables on the car and had to replace them first, which entailed a trip to Home Depot.

Cadillac Ranch is located about 5 miles west of city of Amarillo.  With our late start, we got there just as the sun was setting.

traveling in amarillo texas

Cadillac Ranch is actually a public art installation.  It was created in 1974 by an art group called Ant Farm.  The installation consists of Cadillacs, representing the car line from 1949 to 1963.  Each of the cars is half-buried nose first into the ground at an angle that is supposed to correspond with the angle of the Great Pyramid.

Note the graffiti.

You see when the art work was originally opened up to the public back in the 70’s, there was an issue of folks breaking off souvenirs and painting graffiti onto the cars.

After fighting it for a bit, the artists decided to allow others to add their own personal touch to this piece of art.

traveling in amarillo texas

Visiting Cadillac Ranch  and adding graffiti to the cars is now encouraged.  In fact, while we where there, at least 20 other people were there with spray paint adding a bit of themselves to this piece of art.

Bring a spray paint can and paint what you want!  Just be aware that it probably will be painted over in no time.  Cadillac Ranch is an incredibly popular destination for those that are passing through.

So how about a famous Amarillo eatery?

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Oklahoma, land where the buffalo roam…

On our way across country from Atlanta, GA to Williams, AZ, we made several stops.  One of which was to spend a couple days in Oklahoma City,  visiting with my oldest daughter, Laura.

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We stayed at the Oklahoma City East KOA.  Check out this amazing site!  We were so impressed by how beautiful this little campground was- and how well kept!  Frankly, if it wasn’t for the scary tornado potential in the area, we would consider working here.

But there is the tornado thing and the fact that we really don’t have a basement.  And I’m sure that is something that I just have to get over now that I live in a virtual tin can, but at the moment I am good with heading west.

Anyway…

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The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

My daughter took us on a tour of the area, including a drive out to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, roughly 100 miles south of Oklahoma City.  It is the oldest managed wildlife facility in the United States.

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge was important in saving the American buffalo from extinction. In 1907 the American Bison Society transported 15 buffalo, from the New York Zoological Park to the refuge.  At that time, buffalo had been extinct on the southern Great Plains for over 30 years.

The buffalo herd now numbers about 650 on the refuge!

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One “rule of thumb” when you are around wild animals.  If you hold up your thumb in front of them, and you can still see them, you are too close.

And as you can tell from the photo, wild animals come in all forms!

Scary.

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Mount Scott

Our tour of the mountains included a trip to the summit of Mount Scott which offers amazing views of the Oklahoma countryside.

And of course a visit to Meer’s Restaurant- a popular place in the area famous for it’s giant Meer’s Burgers.  Because we had to eat, right?

Here is a short video of our visit! To see is in large screen, click here.

Our next stop- Amarillo, TX!  See you there!

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Top 10 Things to See and Do in Tybee Island, Georgia

When you think about the state of Georgia, you most likely won’t think about beaches.  Heck, we all go to Florida for that, right?  But I have to tell you that there is one hidden jewel located right off the coast of Savannah, Georgia that will take your breath away.

Tybee Island Is a barrier island located 18 miles off the coast of Savannah, GA.  Tybee is rich in history and beauty, and hosts great restaurants, accommodations and three full miles of uninterrupted public beach.

If you are interested in checking the island out, we have put together a list of the top 10 things to see and do in Tybee Island!

1. Tybee Island Lighthouse 

tybee island lighthouse georgia

I’m sure you already know I’m a fan of lighthouses.  If I find myself near one, I just have to check it out.  Tybee Lighthouse has been guiding mariners safe entrance into the Savannah River for over 270 years.

This beautiful lighthouse is surrounded by all of its historic support buildings, including the Tybee Museum, which was established in 1961.

top 10 things to see and do in tybee island georgia

For a small fee, you can gain entrance to the lighthouse, climb all 178 stairs and see a magnificent view of the surrounding area.

Note: Here and throughout most of the island, parking fees are required.  (You can obtain a parking pass from most hotels and campgrounds in the area).

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2. The Crab Shack

top 10 things to see and do in tybee island georgia

When we first starting going to the Crab Shack, 20 years ago, it was true to it’s name.  It was really a shack.  Over the years, this little restaurant has become a major tourist attraction, featuring large screened in dining rooms, outdoor dining under the trees, a gift shop, aviary, and even an alligator enclosure!

top 10 things to see and do in tybee island georgia

The atmosphere at this little restaurant is surely a draw.  Heck, even Hollywood noticed!

The movie The General’s Daughter, starring John Travolta was filmed here.

top 10 things to see and do in tybee island georgia

But the biggest draw for us is the Seafood Platter.  This one?  This is a platter for two!

Look big?

top 10 things to see and do in tybee island georgia

You aren’t kidding!

This restaurant is the one that we compare every other one to.  So far, nobody has beaten it.

So where do you fish?  Click here for more!

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Our season working at the St. Petersburg KOA

We have been on the road now for exactly a year.  And the adventure has just begun.  Selling the house and nearly everything that we owned was difficult.  Leaving our friends and family behind was too.   But I have to tell you that we have absolutely no regrets.

Life on the road is everything we thought it would be.

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We often are asked how we can support ourselves on the road and I have to say that fortunately for us, we are able to handle most of our bills with income from my websites.

However, we do need a buffer.  And that is where KOA has come in.  We are doing seasonal work at various campgrounds in order to supplement our income while we see the country.

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We worked the summer season in Bar Harbor, Maine, at the Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA.   Our winter job was at the St. Petersburg, FL KOA.  Just as I did in Maine, I have compiled a video of our season at the campground in Florida.

Enjoy!

We both want to thank all the amazing folks we met at the St. Petersburg KOA for a wonderful experience.

It is a small world out there…

We hope to run into many of them again on the road.

Adventure awaits us around the corner.  We are currently in Atlanta, but hope to be hitting the road next week.  Our next destination?

Arizona!

Stay tuned!
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Top 10 things to see and do in St. Petersburg Florida!

We have spent the last five months in St. Petersburg, FL, working at the St. Petersburg/Madeira Beach KOA.

During the winter season from November to April each year, the population of the area doubles when “snowbirds” move down from the north to enjoy the warmer winter in the area.

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For us, that meant winter season jobs at the KOA!  And that meant a full five months in St. Petersburg, FL, enjoying the sites and sounds of the area.

I’ve compiled a top 10 list of our favorite places to see and do in the area.  Granted, it’s a bit on the foodie side.  We like food.  It’s a given.

Enjoy!

10. Tarpon Springs

tarpon springs florida

Tarpon Springs is the self proclaimed Sponge Capital of the World. And it was a favorite destination of ours while we were in St. Petersburg.  This quaint little coastal town located about 45 north of St. Petersburg had lots of great little shops, handmade soaps, and awesome Greek food.

Oh, and sponges too!

It is a small port that houses the sponge industry.  Very entertaining.  It is worth the short drive.  Be sure to check out the Spongeorama Sponge Factory for the free movie on how the sponge industry started in Tarpon Springs and the sponge museum.

To read about our adventure in Tarpon Springs – Click Here!

9. Twistee Treat

st petersburg florida

We love ice cream.  So there was no way that we could just drive by this huge 20 foot tall ice cream cone without stopping to try out the menu.  Twistee Treat is a  Florida thing.  They are located throughout the state, with two locations right in the St. Pete area.

They specialize in old fashioned soft serve ice cream, yogurt, and other tasty treats.  The awesome part?  They offer 66 different flavors of soft serve!

Of course this meant my challenge was to try all 66 of those flavors.  I made through over half the list, I’m proud to say!

Want to know some great places to view wildlife? Click here…

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Manatee Viewing at Apollo Beach!

I have a confession to make.  Until recently, I was not aware of the existence of manatees.

Yes.  I know.

Our time here in Florida is getting short.  So  I wanted to take the time before we leave to witness this beautiful and shy creature that I had heard a whole lot about.

manatee viewing center apollo beach florida

And where do you go to see lots of manatees in one place?  Well, it just happens to be a power plant!

The Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach has won many awards over the years for helping the environment, while creating a clean source of electric power.  The power station takes salt water from Tampa Bay, uses it to cool Unit 4, and then puts it back into the canal.  The water is not only clean, but most importantly- warm.

manatees at apollo beach florida

This clean warm water attracts large numbers of Manatees.  They love  the fact that in the winter, when Tampa Bay gets a bit chilly, there is a nice toasty place to hang out!

The Manatee Viewing Center soon came to be.  It is a state and federally designated manatee sanctuary.  And best of all- it is a free attraction!

manatees at apollo beach florida

So what the heck is a Manatee?

They are large aquatic mammal with flippers- looking somewhat like a sea lion.  Although, I did read that their closest relative is actually an elephant! The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weighs around 1,000 pounds.

They are gentle and slow moving, spending most of their time eating, resting and traveling.

Hmmm….come to think of it, that sounds a whole lot like us!

manatee viewing center apollo beach florida

Our friends Rick and Judy came along with us.  This will probably be our last outing together for a while.  Rick and Judy are also work campers.  They are headed to Montana to work there for the summer.

The great thing about work camping is that you meet some great people.

manatee viewing center apollo beach florida

Of course I had to pose with my new friend the manatee!

He’d never heard of me either…

And yes, there were manatees!

manatee viewing center apollo beach florida

The refuge had lots of great walking trails, mangrove swamps, a gift shop and even a small cafe.

manatee viewing center apollo beach florida3It also included a great little museum where we learned tons about the manatees and the environment that they live in.

If you ever get to this part of Florida, we highly recommend this fun and educational attraction!

madeira beach

And speaking of Florida, we will be heading out of here next week.  We really did enjoy our stay here!

There is a reason our home is on wheels, though.  We are in this to travel!  We will be headed to Atlanta for a few doctor appointments, to visit some family, and then onto Arizona!

Stay tuned!