Summer Fun
Summer has officially arrived!
Many of us usually have summer vacations to far away places, but with the pandemic, many trips have been canceled - mine included. I was so disappointed when my trip to Vegas to see Lady Gaga was canceled in May. We were lucky enough to get tickets after a lot of effort, and it was also a chance for my good friend and I to get together. In addition, my friends and I had to make the tough decision to cancel our Los Angeles trip over the 4th of July. We had an awesome house with a view of the Hollywood sign set up, but it will have to wait.
With no big trips on the horizon, I thought about what plans I could put on the calendar that are a little more local or regional. There are lots of opportunities to explore!
I like to have trips and adventures to plan for and get excited about so here is my list of fun activities and shorter trips that I am planning for this summer:
-Bike the Dismal Swamp Trail in Chesapeake: A friend and I have tried for a couple Saturdays to bike this trail but weather and other factors have kept us from going. I'm really looking forward to biking in new places, as my neighborhood has gotten quite boring.
-Hike in Virginia: I used to hike a lot, and I miss it. There are local hiking trails in Virginia Beach, but I also want some elevation and that means heading to the Charlottesville area. There are many trails within Shenandoah National Park, and Old Rag has been on my list forever!
-Watch the sunrise at the oceanfront: I live so close to the oceanfront and rarely do this. If I had to leave this area tomorrow, I'd regret not watching this beautiful start to the day more often. I’m going to get up early, grab a coffee, and go.
-Brewery visits with Leo: When I first got Leo as a tiny puppy, I brought him to breweries with me. I haven't tried this in a while because he is bigger and stronger now and gets extremely excited to see other dogs and new people. He is very sweet and not aggressive at all - he's just excited and a social butterfly. He can be difficult to handle at first but the advice is to keep taking him out to new places, as it might eventually get him to settle a little more. Its worth a try!
-Thankfully, the Outer Banks is pretty close and this trip is not canceled! I'll be spending a few days there in July (thanks to my cousin, Judy) with some out of town friends that I don't get to see very often. I'm thankful we could keep this plan, as it will be so nice to get away!
-ViBe District Walking Tour - The ViBe Creative District is located close to the oceanfront, and there are murals painted throughout, as well as some great local shops and restaurants. There is a map of all the murals, and I’d like to find them all.
-Paddle-boarding - I have done this twice and would like to try it again and maybe even make it a regular activity for me. I see so many people enjoying gliding along the water, and its a great way to get some exercise and a little sun.
-Bike at the oceanfront - I’ve been in Virginia Beach for over 5 years now and have never done it! It is time to get my beach cruiser there and cruise.
While this isn't a "normal" summer of trips and plans, my state and local area has a lot to offer, and I want to take advantage of that. Have you started making summer plans for destinations closer to home or within your city? What do you have planned?