There is no better way to cruise into summer than with a road trip. If you are looking to experience something a bit different than the great state of Texas, then Georgia should be on your mind. Known for its sweet and ever so juicy peaches it’s also home to several Grown in Georgia…
Category: Weekend Getaways
![9 Magical Christmas Markets : From Christkindlmarkts to Laser Shows 2 9 Magical Christmas Markets : From Christkindlmarkts to Laser Shows 1 Christmas markets are festive traditions that span centuries and were precursors for today’s festivals and laser light shows. The first mentioned Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, was Striezelmarkt in the German Saxony city, Dresden, in 1434. Christkind is literally translated as Christchild and is generally depicted in angel form with locks of curly blond hair, dressed in white and gold robes lined with fur and wearing a crown. Christkind, the spirit of Christmas, bestows gifts to children while spreading joy and peace.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/blog-heading-christkindlmarkt.png?fit=560%2C315&ssl=1)
9 Magical Christmas Markets : From Christkindlmarkts to Laser Shows
Christmas markets are festive traditions that span centuries and were precursors for today’s festivals and laser light shows. The first mentioned Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, was Striezelmarkt in the German Saxony city, Dresden, in 1434. Christkind is literally translated as Christchild and is generally depicted in angel form with locks of curly blond…
![Halloween: 8 Frightening Spooky Texas Destinations 3 Halloween display](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DSC02917-scaled-e1632851171593.jpg?fit=1776%2C1044&ssl=1)
Halloween: 8 Frightening Spooky Texas Destinations
Days are getting cooler, nights are getting longer and it is time to start celebrating all things fall. In Texas, one of the biggest fall celebrations is that of Halloween. There are a wide variety of ways to celebrate Halloween around the state from ghostly adventures to Dia de Los Muertos to staying in haunted…
![5 Best Tips For Diamond Hunting in Arkansas - Crater of Diamonds State Park 9 Crater of Diamonds old mine building](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Crater-of-Diamonds-State-Park-outbuilding_photo-by-Dona-Long-scaled.jpg?fit=2048%2C1586&ssl=1)
5 Best Tips For Diamond Hunting in Arkansas – Crater of Diamonds State Park
Diamond hunting, the search for a girl’s best friend. Do you have a yearning to go diamond hunting? Then perhaps you should consider a visit to the only mine in the world where you can hunt for your own diamonds. My husband and I are rock hounds. So, when we learned about the Crater of…
![Jefferson, Texas: Why You Need This Blissful Weekend Escape 10 Jefferson Texas historic mural](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jefferson-mural-scaled.jpg?fit=2048%2C1223&ssl=1)
Jefferson, Texas: Why You Need This Blissful Weekend Escape
A short 3-hour drive from Dallas, off of highway 59 in East Texas, is Jefferson. Once a bustling riverboat port hosting steamboats laden down with supplies and adventurous people traveling to the wilds of Texas – Jefferson is now a mecca for staycationers needing a weekend getaway. At first glance, this little country town may…
![Jefferson Texas: Meet the Mysterious Town 13 empty nester Jeffette](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Jeffette-at-General-Store-2019.jpg?fit=2048%2C1450&ssl=1)
Jefferson Texas: Meet the Mysterious Town
Jefferson Texas is a town steeped in history and mystery. This small town just a 3-hour drive from Dallas near the Louisiana border was once a shipping mecca of the South. Steamships delivered goods and people along the Red River to Jefferson which was then transported by wagon to the newly founded towns of Dallas…
![Billings, Montana: 10 places to eat and drink you will love 14 Billings, Montana: 10 places to eat and drink you will love 7 Billings is Montana’s largest city, It is nicknamed the “Magic City”. It is truly a magical place for the outdoor enthusiast. It is also has a magical foodie scene that is sure to appease any discerning taste buds. There are unquestionably many dining establishments to choose from - during my brief stay, I only had time to check out a few. Here are my favorites.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/blog-billings-mt-food-cocktail.png?fit=560%2C315&ssl=1)
Billings, Montana: 10 places to eat and drink you will love
Billings is Montana’s largest city, It is nicknamed the “Magic City”. It is truly a magical place for the outdoor enthusiast. It is also has a magical foodie scene that is sure to appease any discerning taste buds. There are unquestionably many dining establishments to choose from – during my brief stay, I only had…
![Golf Louisiana's Audubon Trail: 5 Badass Bio-diverse Ecosystems 15 Golf Louisiana's Audubon Trail: 5 Badass Bio-diverse Ecosystems 8 Fore! Songbirds are singing and whistling; the sky is a deep fresh blue with fluffy white clouds, I am standing to the side of the green letting another group play through. As I wait, I think about where I am and how this trail of 15 golf courses is dedicated to protect the environment and preserve an English game that dates to the early 1500s. Starting in the Sportsman's Paradise area of Northern Louisiana and stretching to Cajun Country in the Southwest and Greater New Orleans in the Southeast regions, each course is designed to showcase the beauty and diversity of this state that is as striking as the game.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Golf-Club-at-Audubon-Park-image-by-Audubon-Park-2.jpg?fit=2048%2C1365&ssl=1)
Golf Louisiana’s Audubon Trail: 5 Badass Bio-diverse Ecosystems
Fore! Songbirds are singing and whistling; the sky is a deep fresh blue with fluffy white clouds, I am standing to the side of the green letting another group play through. As I wait, I think about where I am and how this trail of 15 golf courses is dedicated to protect the environment and…
![Tarpon Springs - Stunning Greek Victorian Architecture In Florida 17 Tarpon Springs - Stunning Greek Victorian Architecture In Florida 10 Tarpon Springs, Florida - A mear 30 minutes drive North West of Tampa off US Highway 19 is a seaside haven that makes you feel like you have been transported to a Grecian fishing village from the 1900s.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Tarpon-Springs-fishing-boats-photo-by-Donna-Long.jpg?fit=2048%2C1365&ssl=1)
Tarpon Springs – Stunning Greek Victorian Architecture In Florida
Tarpon Springs, Florida – A mear 30 minutes drive North West of Tampa off US Highway 19 is a seaside haven that makes you feel like you have been transported to a Grecian fishing village from the 1900s.
![5 Romantic Getaways For Couples in the US 18 romantic getaways for couples in the US](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/blog-heading-romantic-getaway.png?fit=560%2C315&ssl=1)
5 Romantic Getaways For Couples in the US
Romantic getaways are fabulous to reconnect with the love of your life. They are a way to make Valentine’s Day extend beyond one day. Here are five ideas for small-town romantic getaways to help you start planning a sizzling weekend retreat.
![San Antonio Historic Boutique Hotel: Hotel Gibbs 19 San Antonio Historic Boutique Hotel: Hotel Gibbs 11 Located in San Antonio, just steps from the Alamo Mission and Riverwalk is the Hotel Gibbs. Built in 1909, this family owned luxurious, art-deco building is one of San Antonio’s first high-rise buildings.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/blog-heading-Hotel-Gibbs.png?fit=560%2C315&ssl=1)
San Antonio Historic Boutique Hotel: Hotel Gibbs
Located in San Antonio, just steps from the Alamo Mission and Riverwalk is the Hotel Gibbs. Built in 1909, this family owned luxurious, art-deco building is one of San Antonio’s first high-rise buildings.
![Natchitoches Christmas: South's 92-year Best Kept Secret Revealed! 20 Natchitoches Christmas: South's 92-year Best Kept Secret Revealed! 12 Natchitoches (pronounced nack-a-tish), this charming French Creole town has been celebrating a town-wide epic Christmas festival since 1926. This year, the Southeast Tourism Society named Natchitoches Christmas as one of the top 20 holiday festivals of the year to attend.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Natchitoches-Christmas.png?fit=560%2C315&ssl=1)
Natchitoches Christmas: South’s 92-year Best Kept Secret Revealed!
Natchitoches (pronounced nack-a-tish), this charming French Creole town has been celebrating a town-wide epic Christmas festival since 1926. This year, the Southeast Tourism Society named Natchitoches Christmas as one of the top 20 holiday festivals of the year to attend.
![5 Places To See Fall Color In Northern Alabama 21 Cheaha Park in Alabama fall colors reflecting off Cheaha Lake](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Cheaha-Lake-Pier.jpg?fit=882%2C460&ssl=1)
5 Places To See Fall Color In Northern Alabama
Autumn is the season of pumpkins, corn mazes, and stunning fall color. Make time this fall for a romantic weekend getaway to explore Alabama’s picturesque countryside. Generally awash in color from mid-October to mid-November with peak color the last week of October and the first week of November, Alabama has five parks that are ideal…
![Galveston: Tall Ships Festival Video 22 a row of 5 sets of lines wrapped around pins on a historic sailing vessel](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/lines-with-pins-3.jpg?fit=4032%2C3024&ssl=1)
Galveston: Tall Ships Festival Video
Galveston was a bustling seaport delivering food, textile goods, and people from around the world. The Galveston Historical Society brings this seaside city’s rich maritime history to life at the Tall Ships Festival where people can experience sailing nostalgia on board multi-masted schooners.
![Recharge To Be A Better You - 6 Ultra Relaxing Ideas 23 Recharge To Be A Better You - 6 Ultra Relaxing Ideas 13 So if you need a INTGODGSAU weekend, you are in luck because I have put together a list of spas where you can give yourself a kumbaya moment and recharge.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/spa-beach.jpg?fit=4032%2C3024&ssl=1)
Recharge To Be A Better You – 6 Ultra Relaxing Ideas
Relaxation Breaks – You Deserve Them I don’t care who you are or what you do, male or female, young or old – life can be a challenge. We are pulled
![The Guadalupe River: Escape the Texas Heat 24 The Guadalupe River: Escape the Texas Heat 14 The Guadalupe River lovingly called “the Guad” by locals of the Lone Star state, winds and meanders its way through Texas Hill Country. It flows past carved out limestone cliffs and mounds of gnarled cypress roots looking like they are dipping their toes in the river as they reach for water. A favorite destination for locals and visitors alike who are trying to escape some of Texas’ sweltering hot summer humidity. Thousands will travel to this cool water mecca over the course of a summer for a day of kayaking, tubing or rafting.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/float-3w-logo.jpg?fit=2603%2C1742&ssl=1)
The Guadalupe River: Escape the Texas Heat
A Cool Reprieve The Guadalupe River lovingly called “the Guad” by locals of the Lone Star state, winds and meanders its way through Texas Hill Country. It flows past carved out limestone cliffs and mounds of gnarled cypress roots looking like they are dipping their toes in the river as they reach for water….
![Foodie Gems of Shreveport, Louisiana 25 crawfish, mudbugs](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/crawfish-W-logo.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1)
Foodie Gems of Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport has been a foodie mecca for diverse regional dishes since its founding in 1836. Shreveportites are infamous for putting their own unique spin on recipes that have been handed down or brought from other countries. This is but a small sampling of delectable morsels you can offer your palate when you visit Shreveport-Bossier City.
![Natchitoches - Louisiana's Best Kept Secret 26 Natchitoches - Louisiana's Best Kept Secret 15 Remnants of Natchitoches French Creole and Spanish roots are evident in its historical cotton plantations, and 19th-century landmark buildings.](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IMG_3594.jpg?fit=3281%2C2768&ssl=1)
Natchitoches – Louisiana’s Best Kept Secret
Remnants of Natchitoches French Creole and Spanish roots are evident in its historical cotton plantations, and 19th-century landmark buildings. Natchitoches – A Road Trip To Louisiana’s Hidden Gem Natchitoches (pronounced nack-a-tish), settled in 1714 it is the oldest settlement in
![Why Visit Huntsville, Alabama 27 huntsville, alabama, space camp, video, botanical garden, food,](https://i0.wp.com/empty-nestopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/wikispace.jpg?fit=919%2C466&ssl=1)
Why Visit Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama Diverse, unique, and eclectic. It is a land where you will find lush, rolling green hills