Cathy

Airbnb tips for guests

13 Comments / Travel /

Have you ever considered staying at an Airbnb?

If you want more space than a standard hotel room, along with a full kitchen, deck or patio, and an entire place to yourself, maybe an Airbnb is right for you. But how do you find a good Airbnb? I’m going to give you some tips.

It can take some research to find the right Airbnb for you. The Airbnb in this photo was in Wilmington, NC. Even though I did my research and checked out the photos and reviews, the “Waterview” was not quite what we expected and the entrance was 3 stories up using these outdoor steps.

It turned out to be a great place, but sometimes you don’t get exactly what you think you are getting.

NOTE: This post is not sponsored by Airbnb, these tips and opinions are my own

Airbnb Wilmington NC
Airbnb in Wilmington NC

History

After moving to San Francisco in 2007, roommates Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia came up with the idea of putting an air mattress in their living room and turning it into a bed and breakfast. In 2008, Nathan Blecharczyk joined them as the third co-founder of “AirBed & Breakfast”. They created a website to offer short-term living quarters and breakfast for those who were unable to book a hotel room during a time when they were hard to find. Their first website was; Airbedandbreakfast.com, which was shortened to Airbnb.com in 2009.

Reasons to choose Airbnb

We have almost exclusively changed from hotel visitors to Airbnb renters. Why? It’s because of the endless choices and possibilities! Here are some of our reasons;

  • Unique and interesting spaces
  • Great locations
  • You can get all the amentities you are looking for
  • It’s your own private space
  • Many include a patio or balcony
  • You can blend in and become a “local” for awhile
  • The pricing will fit your budget
  • Some SuperHosts treat you like Royalty

We only rent “entire places” and we have only rented with Airbnb in the US, so that’s what I will be talking about here. Airbnb also offers other options such as; Private rooms(sharing common spaces), Hotel rooms, Guest rooms, or Shared rooms.

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Peace Valley Campground Murphy NC

8 Comments / Camping /

The Peace Valley KOA campground near Murphy NC is a great place to camp! Surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains and with Valley River running through it, you will find that it is a very peaceful place to camp. They are open year-round and are pet-friendly! The campground is located just minutes from the small town of Murphy NC, where you will find great shopping, attractions, and restaurants!

Also, the natural beauty of this area provides lots of places to explore!

Marble Creek, Murphy KOA
Valley River

The campground is located at 117 Happy Valley Road, Marble NC. Which is about 53 miles southwest of Cherokee NC and 107 miles west of Asheville NC. The Georgia state line is about 25 miles to the south.

If you take the drive from Cherokee to Murphy on Hwy 74, you will drive through the Nantahala National Forest and along the Nantahala River. The Nantahala River is famous for its whitewater rafting, as well as, the Nantahala Outdoor Center(NOC). If you have time, you may want to try some whitewater rafting! If not, you can just stop along the way to watch the rafters and kayakers traveling down the river.

The NOC is just 30 miles from the Peace Valley/Murphy KOA. It would be fun to spend a day on the Nantahala River and then return to your campsite for an evening campfire.

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Things to do In Occoquan VA

20 Comments / Travel /

Have you heard of Occoquan VA? It’s a Charming and Historic Town on the Occoquan River. It’s also a suburb of Washington DC and has a population of about 1200. Occoquan is located in Prince William County. Prince William County includes Washington DC and is the largest county in Virginia.

While planning our vacation this year we wanted to stay close to home but still have a new adventure. The states surrounding our state of North Carolina are; South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. We researched places in about a 6-hour driving distance from us. We were also researching reasonably-priced Airbnbs at the same time. Our goal was relaxation in a town with a waterfront, great restaurants, and a reasonably priced place to stay.

We found all that and more in Occoquan!

Occoquan History

Occoquan is derived from an Algonquian Doeg Indian Word meaning “at the end of the water”. It’s located on the Occoquan River and was home to several indigenous people. The Dogue Indians were the first to settle in the Occoquan Valley. In 1608, the first Europeans arrived and found the Tauxenent tribe. Their main village was at the mouth of the Occoquan River.

In the early 1600s, Captain John Smith(he established the first English settlement at Jamestown, VA) sailed and explored the Occoquan River

By 1755, the Anglo-American colonists had established an industrial settlement at Occoquan, with bakehouses, grist mills, tobacco warehouses, and dwellings.

In 1759 the Merchants’ Mill was built and became one of the first fully automated grist mills in America. It’s said that they produced cannonballs for the Revolutionary War!

The Mill was destroyed by fire in 1924, all that remained was the Mill House. The Mill House soon fell into disrepair until the Alexandria Water Company purchased the Mill House in the middle of the 20th century and restored it for use as office space. The company’s successor, the Fairfax Water Authority (now known as Fairfax Water) eventually turned the structure over to the Town of Occoquan, which leases it to the Occoquan Historical Society for use as a museum. 

Mill House and Museum


Things to do in Occoquan

  • Stop by the Visitor’s Guide
  • Check out the Mill House Museum
  • Kayak rentals
  • River Mill Park
  • Rockledge Mansion
  • Shopping at the many stores
  • Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge
  • Take the Occoquan Ghost Tour
  • Scuba dive, Patriot Scuba
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Door County Lighthouse

Lighthouses in Door County, Wisconsin

18 Comments / Places to see /

Door County Wisconsin

Door County is the largest county in Wisconsin, it is a very beautiful and unique part of the state. On the map, it’s the little finger(peninsula) on the northeast part of the state. Door County is located on a peninsula located between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. From the city of Sturgeon Bay to Gill’s Rock and Washington Island. You will find a series of quaint small towns with names like; Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Baileys Harbor, Fish Creek, and Sister Bay. Some of my favorite things about visiting Door County are the beautiful views of Lake Michigan, great hiking, outdoor fish boils, and cherry pie! If you are looking for a place to do some hiking, eat great food, or just enjoy the beautiful scenery, Door County is for you! You will have 5 State Parks, 19 County Parks, and dozens of local parks to explore! Don’t forget the 11 lighthouses!

Ephraim

Door County State Parks

  1. Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay, WI
  2. Whitefish Dunes State Park, Sturgeon Bay, WI
  3. Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, WI
  4. Newport State Park, Ellison Bay, WI
  5. Rock Island State Park, Washington, WI
Cave Point County Park
Cave Point

I don’t think many people consider the state of Wisconsin when planning their vacations, but Door County would be a great place to add to your Travel Wish list! There are many great things to do in Door County.

With 300 miles of coastline and 11 majestic lighthouses, Door County has one of the highest concentrations of lighthouses in any county in the country.

Door County History

The first inhabitants of this area were Native Americans. The dominant tribe in this area was the Potawatomi.

In the early 1600s, the peninsula saw French explorers and fur traders, such as Jean Nicolet and Father Marquette pass through. Many ships loaded with furs were lost in the treacherous Great Lakes as they made their way back East. This is one of the reasons that Lighthouses were needed!

The British claimed this area from the French, and in 1783 the United States claimed it from Britain.

In 1844, the first permanent white settlers made their home in Little Sturgeon Bay, they eventually moved North to Weborg Point and Fish Creek.

In 1853, Reverend Andrew Iverson and 3 followers set out from Green Bay and walked on the ice to Eagle Harbor where they met others crossing from the opposite direction. There he found a site for his congregation and the community of Ephraim was born.

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