Frugal Family Travelers: Water

Showing posts with label Water. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Travelin' the Trace to Tishomingo

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a designated National Park and rightfully so. Spanning 444 miles through 3 states and encompassing 10,000 years of history, the Natchez Trace Parkway is a treasure trove for those who love nature, history and have a hunger for exploration! Along our journey to the beautiful Tishomingo State Park (located in the northeastern quadrant of Mississippi), our Frugal Family Travelers stopped at several locations on the northern end of the Mississippi section of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The pictures and discriptions below will provide you with options for places to visit in this area, should you choose to add any of these areas to your bucket list.

As mentioned earlier, Tishomingo State Park was the main travel target on our journey and it did not disappoint. Being that it was only 5 hours from New Orleans, this park was the perfect "get-away" for our Frugal Family Travelers. With canoeing, hiking and history wrapped up in a mountain setting, Tishomingo gave us the feeling we were nestled in the mountains when we were actually in the foothills of the Great Smokies. We enjoyed our stay in one of the rustic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and spent our evening there grilling and making smores! By day we explored a trail leading over a swinging bridge (also built by the CCC) and hiked yet another to a pioneer cabin. The highlight of our experience here was a 6.25 mile canoeing trip on Bear Creek. With cypress tree littering nearly every inch of its banks, Bear Creek literally looks like something out of a movie. The patches of white water kept the trip exciting but were not overwhelming for our younger paddlers! We loved our entire visit here and highly reccommend this park!

Outside of rustic cabin. Approximate price is $60 per night.

Swinging Bridge

A view of Bear Creek!

Indian Trail Tree encountered while hiking.

Trail to pioneer cabin.

Scenes while canoeing on Bear Creek. There is a $30 canoe rental fee. Make a reservation with the park office (662-438-6914). Younger paddlers 7 and under may ride in the center of the canoe. Lifejackets and paddles are provided along with transportation to the beginning of the float trip.

The following are scenes from the Northern Mississippi portion of the Natchez Trace Parkway and the towns surrounding the parkway.

Elvis' birthplace in Tupelo, MS: We stopped a viewed everything from the outside however there is a museum and tour of the home offered for a fee.

Cave Spring is a stop right off the Natchez Trace Parkway very close to Tishomingo State Park.

Indian Mounds off Natchez Trace Parkway

(Click here for Google Map)

We viewed a great movie regarding the history of the trace and also saw an exhibit at the Parkway Visitor's Center, milepost 266, Tupelo, MS

Disclaimer:

All content provided on Frugal Family Travelers blog is for informational purposes only. The owners of this blog make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owners of Frugal Family Travelers blog do not share personal information with third-parties and are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without permission. As with all travel, operating days, times, costs, etc., should be verified prior to departure.

Monday, March 16, 2015

FLORIDA IS SO MUCH MORE THAN DISNEY!

Many families traveling through Florida to Disney World forget to consider the many hidden treasures in the state. I am not talking about the beautiful beaches either. Waterfalls? Caves? Pristine spring fed swimming holes? Did you know all of these can be found in the "sunshine state" and not far from your path when traveling to and from a visit to the home of your favorite mouse! Whether you are planning your next trip to Disney World or just a trip to to Florida, consider the offerings below! Your Frugal Family Travelers will not be disappointed!

Many of our readers already know how our Frugal Family Travelers feel about state parks. Many unique places are under the purview of state governments and Florida is no exception. While known for its beaches and of course, Disney, Florida is also home to many pristine spring fed swimming holes which provide unique opportunities for outdoor fun. Our Frugal Family Travelers have visited one of these locations but the one featured in this post was actually suggested by a reader and friend!

Madison Blue Spring State Park features an amazing 82 ft wide and 25 ft deep spring fed swimming hole. This is truly an oasis like something found on a tropical island.

Cost: Florida State Park Fee Schedule

Directions:

8300 NE State Road 6

Lee, FL 32059

(850) 971-5003

Madison Blue Spring is approximately 10 miles (16 km) east of Madison on the west bank of the Withlacoochee River. Madison is located not far from the I-10 corridor between Tallahassee and Lake City. From Madison, drive east on SR 6 to the Withlacoochee River. Turn south on the west side of the bridge at the park sign. Spring is 525 ft (160 m) south of the highway.

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Falling Creek Falls is quite the unexpected location, particularly when thinking about Florida. It is part of the Suwannee River Water Management Area in Columbia County Florida and is located just outside Lake City. Our Frugal Family Travelers really enjoyed our visit here!

Cost: Free

Directions from Lake City:

Travel north on US 41, pass under I-10, turn right on NW Falling Creek Road; travel 1 mile. The park is on the right before crossing the creek.

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Our third suggestions for "off the beaten path" travel is the Florida Caverns State Park. Not only will a beautiful cave with limestone formations be found here but one can also hike, bike, canoe and golf! There is something here for Frugal Family Traveler in your group!

Cost: Florida State Park Fee Schedule

Directions:

3345 Caverns Road

Marianna, FL 32446

(850) 482-1228

Click on ALL underlined text for access to more information regarding each location above!

Disclaimer:

Monday, June 9, 2014

Natchitoches: Vacation Itinerary Day 2

Our Frugal Family Travelers are taking our readers on a vacation adventure to the Natchitoches, LA area. Day 1 of our itinerary featured the adventures to be had with your family at Hodges Gardens State Park. If you missed "Day 1" of our itinerary and want to catch up, "click here".

Day 2:
Kisatchie National Forest is a vast area for exploration and features over 600,000 acres of land spanning across seven parishes in Louisiana. Our favorite area of this expansive forest is the the Kisatchie Bayou District, particularly due to the beautiful white water adjacent to the Kisatchie Bayou Campground. Not only does this area have beautiful white water, which is quite uncommon in the Louisiana area, but features a sandy beach on which to lounge and enjoy the amazing sound as the water cascades down the rocks. Our Frugal Family Travelers enjoyed splashing in the water, climbing the embankment, hiking trails by the campground and riding bikes down the blacktopped hill in the parking lot. Primitive "walk-in" campsites are available which feature tent pads, barbecue pits and lantern polls. A building with a vaulted toilet is on site but no running water is available. This area requires a small fee collected in an honor box, available on site.

Tips:

*Pack water, as none is available on site.

*Bring sunscreen and bug spray!!

*Water shoes are definitely recommended because the rocks in the water can be sharp.

*Rocks in the water can also be slippery and rapids quite swift! Parents should supervise younger children.

*No lifeguard is on duty!

*Tubes are recommended but not available at the site.

*Lifeguard certified vests/jackets are highly recommended!

Note:

Continue to read our post over the next few days to discover the full Natchitoches, LA itinerary!

Be sure and check out the letterboxes in this area! To learn more about letterboxing, click here to read our blog about it!

Be sure to sign-up for email notifications on our the blog or like us on Facebook to receive future postings!

Directions directly from National Forest Website (Be aware that you will drive on primitive, gravel roads for some of the journey until you arrive at the campground!):

From the intersection of I-49 and Highway 6 (Natchitoches) drive west on Hwy 6 for 4 miles. Turn left (south) on Louisiana Hwy 117 and proceed 16 miles to Forest Highway 59, Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway. Turn left (east) on FH 59 and go 7 miles to FR 321. Turn right (south) on FR 321 and go 4 miles to Forest Road 366. Turn right (west) on FR 366 and proceed to the end of the road.

A short video of our adventure!

Enjoying the cool white water!

Zooming down the hill!!

Exploring!

(Be sure to click on all highlighted text within the blog for additional information regarding activities, including websites, special instructions and travel directions!)

Disclaimer:

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Natchitoches: Vacation Itinerary Day 1

As mentioned in one of our past posts, the Louisiana state park system is one of the best kept secrets around. With over 25 state parks and historic sites, Frugal Family Travelers like ours can do quite a bit of exploring on a budget! Today is the FIRST post in a series, that when concluded, will provide our readers with an entire vacation itinerary to the Natchitoches, LA area! Nachitoches is well-known by Louisiana natives for the awesome display of lights on the cane bayou presented each year at Christmas! However, there is so much more to explore here that will captivate both the younger and older Frugal Family Travelers in your group!

Hodges Gardens was the dream of oil businessman, A.J. Hodges and his wife Nona, who took an abandoned rock quarry and transformed it into a garden paradise, complete with amazing flowers, walkways, bridges and fountains! The garden also features a 225 acre lake, built in 1954, which supplies water to the fountains in the garden and also provides visitors with a multitude of activities. The garden officially opened to the public in 1956 and was donated to the state park system in 2007 by the A.J. and Nona Trigg Hodges Foundation.

Hodges Gardens State Park is one of the newer state parks in the system and in addition to the beautiful gardens, offers numerous cabins situated on the lake, hiking, fishing, boating and much more! Canoes and Kayaks can be rented for $5 per hour, ($20/$30 per day respectively) with fishing boats, (with trolling motors) available for $20 a day! Rentals include life jackets and paddles! Admission is $5 per person ages 4-61, $4 per person over age 62, and free for ages 3 and under. Our Frugal Family Travelers enjoyed meandering through the garden while playing in all of the water features on the trails. They also loved canoeing and riding bikes in the beautifully wooded park and seeing their first piece of petrified wood!

Tips:

*Pack water and sunscreen

*Water shoes are suggested if you plan to canoe, kayak or boat.

*Bring fishing poles!

*Bikes are great to have when traveling to any state park!

*Annual passes are available to Louisiana state parks. A pass is $80 and allows all traveling in your car/van entrance into ALL state parks and historic sites for no additional cost!

Note:

Continue to read our post over the next few days to discover the full Natchitoches, LA itinerary!

Be sure and check out the letterboxes in this area! To learn more about letterboxing, click here to read our blog about it!

Be sure to sign-up for email notifications on our the blog or like us on Facebook to receive future postings!

Directions:

1000 Hodges Loop, Florien, LA 71429

Exploring!!

Petrified log!!

One of the Cabins....

Row, Row, Row Your Boat....gently in the Lake!

Biking!!

(Be sure to click on all highlighted text within the blog for additional information regarding activities, including websites, special instructions and travel directions!)

Disclaimer:

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Rustic Adventure at Beautiful Bogue Chitto

Have you thought about taking your family on a vacation somewhere but do not want to make a long drive or just can't afford an expensive trip this year? If so, consider visiting a state park! Future posts will share more regarding the state park systems available in Louisiana and other states, but today Frugal Family Travelers will highlight the Bogue Chitto State Park located in Franklinton, LA, just north of Covington. Bogue Chitto is one of the newest Louisiana state parks. With great hiking trails leading nature enthusiasts through dense forests, along the banks of a river, by beautiful lakes and through a gorge, it leaves you, at times, feeling as though you are in the mountains! The park also has furnished cabins (each with a screened in back porch, which overlooks the gorge), primitive/RV camping areas, an amazing splash area (complete with a water slide), a beach area, snowball stand, biking trails, equestrian trails and a playground! Tubing/canoeing is available through various local outfitters. However, we suggest caution if attempting this with younger travelers due to the swift current of the river and that it is used by other outdoor enthusiasts with motorized boats.

Recently, our Frugal Family Travelers were feeling a bit cooped up from a bout of rain in our area! In spite of the rain, we decided to brave the elements for a trip to Bogue Chitto. Our hiking adventure began during a light sprinkle but as the afternoon progressed, the sun came out! The rain actually made the trails come alive with wildlife and unique water features not seen during other visits to the park! Our travelers especially enjoyed catching tiny frogs that were littering the trails! The day concluded with a visit to the splash area for sliding and water play before heading back home! Admission to the park is only $2 per person and includes access to all day use areas. Children under 3 and seniors over the age of 62 are FREE! We chose to finally buy an annual pass to the Louisiana State Park and Historic Site system. We can now be admitted to over 25 Louisiana state parks and historic sites for the next year. This is a huge savings if you plan to visit several state parks over the next year.

Tips:

*Pack sunscreen, water, picnic lunch

*Bring a bug box for little travelers

*Wear shoes for hiking

*Pack flip flops or water shoes and bathing suit for splash area

*The gorge trail area is more strenuous with the trails by the river more accessible for all ages

*Consider buying an annual pass to the state park. It is $80 and allows all traveling in your car/van entrance into all Louisiana state parks and historic sites!

*The water slide/splash area is closed on Mondays for maintenance. You may also want to check availability if traveling between October-April.

Note:

*The state park system, in my opinion is one of the best kept secrets! Future posts will share more about the Louisiana state parks and historic sites our Frugal Family Travelers have visited as well as ones in other states!

Be sure to sign-up for email notifications on our the blog or like us on Facebook to receive future postings!

Directions: Bogue Chitto State Park 17049 State Park Blvd. Franklinton, LA 70438

(Be sure to click on all highlighted text within the blog for additional information regarding activities, including websites, special instructions and travel directions!)

The rain can't stop us!