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If you’ve been here for a while, you know I love exploring North Carolina. There is so much adventure and adorable towns just a short drive away from home. Some of the best adventures I’ve had didn’t require a passport or a plane ticket, just a coffee and the open road. I’m sure there is a ton for you to explore nearby where you live! Here are 6 Ways to be a tourist where you are: Take a different route to a familiar place. - I do this all the time! Instead of the highway, ta

Have you ever stepped into a place that feels like it belongs on the pages of your favorite book? I did that recently! For our North Carolina babymoon, we decided to take a trip to Edenton, North Carolina. Tucked along the Albemarle Sound, Edenton, NC is a magical town. It was filled with the kind of charm you can’t manufacture—historic homes, a whitewashed lighthouse, vintage theaters, and cozy coffee shops where I can only believe the staff remembers their regulars names. T

If you’re a Nicholas Sparks fan, you’re probably very familiar with Southport! The movie Safe Haven with Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel shot here! That’s one of the reasons I initially wanted to visit, but I go back because the town is adorable. Southport is also the perfect coastal escape if you’re not a lay out on the beach all day kind of person. Where to Stay I haven’t personsally stayed in Southport, but there are a few hotels in town. They also have some pretty adorabl

When the pandemic hit, we had to pivot our wedding plans for 2020 and ended up eloping on Oak Island. There is SO much to do on Oak Island alone, you won’t ever have to leave once you arrive! Where to Stay I highly recommend renting a beach house! Doesn’t have to be beach front, but it makes life easier if you can walk to the beach & honestly, I just feel it helps with the whole experience! We also stayed in an AIRBNB on one of our trips called THE SHOAL SHACK. It was SO cute

*Note: this blog has been updated for 2025 beach season! My husband introduced me to the Sunset Beach and Calabash area early on in our relationship and I fell in love instantly! I’m almost afraid to publish this travel guide because it’s such a hidden gem and selfishly I wish I could keep it all to myself. But, the beauty of North Carolina beaches is an experience everyone should have! Here is the lowdown on things to do in Sunset Beach and Calabash, North Carolina. Where to

It's so crazy to think our weekend getaway to Virginia Beach is here and gone. We were originally supposed to go in 2020 for my husband to run the Shamrock Marathon. He trained so hard in hopes this would be his Boston qualifying run. Unfortunately, it was cancelled weeks before due to COVID. The 2022 Shamrock Marathon came post a few health issues for the hubby, so this time around his goal was to just cross that finish and he sure did! In between mile marker stops to cheer

One of the focuses in my latest work in progress is the opening of the new town wine shop. The story revolves around 3 childhood friends who reunited when one of them decided to build a legacy in their hometown by opening up the first wine shop! I wanted to make sure all the details were perfect when it comes to my readers envisioning the wine shop. The only real way to do that was to step inside. So, my husband and I took a day trip to Pinehurst, North Carolina. While resear

The hardest part about moving to a new city is finding the best coffee shops to write at! In Nashville, I absolutely loved Red Bicycle and Barista Parlor. I tucked myself away in a corner and typed away. When we moved to Charlotte I spent most of my days at Caribou Coffee and Not Just Coffee. I wrote Falling in London and For the Love of Gingerbread between the two of them! Before we even moved to Raleigh, I started building a list of coffee shops to visit. Though there are s

Oh my gosh... the housing market right now is INSANE! When my husband and I decided maybe it was time to start looking, we had no idea what we were getting into. Mind you, I've owned 2 homes in the past, so I thought, "I've got this." Nope! Due diligence - What the heck is that? All these addendums - I mean, what?! I figured, I can't be the only one, so that's why I'm writing this blog post. Like I said, I'm clueless, so this isn't all-encompassing, it's just to maybe try to

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a little intro and I know I have a few new friends. So, here’s 10 fun things to know about me! 1. 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙠! Every week before I hit the grocery store I search Pinterest for 2- 3 new meals to try and make for dinner. Most of the time they come out pretty good. The times when they don’t... thank goodness for pizza. 2. I first visited 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 when I interned there in college. Back then it was loud, crowded and I

Though Blue Haven is a fictional beach town, pieces of my heart are sprinkled in all the details. There’s a part of the story where Veronica orders a coffee from the popular town coffee shop, Lattes All Day, but realizes she forgot her wallet. The cashier tells her she’ll put it on her tab and she can return and pay it later. This scene is the epitome of a small town, but it’s all a true story. My husband and I eloped in 2020 on the beaches of North Carolina. We rented a beac

The lighthouse behind us is the Bodie Island Lighthouse. This was the 3rd attempt at building this lighthouse. The first time the lighthouse was built, it started to lean only two years later. They tried to repair it, but failed. The second lighthouse was built just before the Civil War. Confederates troops actually destroyed this one in fear that it would end up in the hands of Union soldiers. Ten years later, construction began again and despite a lot of challenges over the

I put up a poll on Instagram asking my lovely friends if they'd rather be sipping coffee in the mountains or wine in Italy. 70% preferred drinking wine in Italy! I don’t blame them! Though I love a good coffee on the front porch swing of a cabin the mountains, it’s a magnificent experience to sip wine in Italy. So, I thought I’d share what it was like to experience Venice. My best friend from college and I took a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. We had a day and half in Venice fo

We had a blast celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary in New Bern, NC! Just a 2 hour drive from Raleigh! We put together this helpful travel guide to make your trip planning easier. Save for your visit to New Bern.

We recently made our first trip to the Outer Banks and I absolutely fell in love with the town of Manteo, NC. I just had to share this magical place here on the blog. Manteo was a bit more laid back than the other towns we visited which is why I loved it, but it was still conveniently located to a lot of the sightseeing activities that were on our list! If you're up for visiting the Carolina coast, I definitely think you should consider planning a trip to Manteo, NC. I've cr

Could you imagine a small beach town like this?!? I am so ready to book a beach house in Blue Haven after reading this one!! What's your favorite? I'd digging the bagel bike :) A day of relaxation in Blue Haven is just that; once you pop up your beach chair, you won’t need to move a muscle in order to enjoy some of the deliciousness this town has to offer. Eddie’s Bagel Bike rides the beaches until 2 pm. All bagels are made by Eddie himself. Take a peek into the bike’s front

Another blog post from my latest cozy mystery, Break-In & Eggs! In this one, Von Reklaw is giving you all the info on where to spot the best coffee in the lovely fictional town of Blue Haven, North Carolina! Enjoy! Did you know you could spend an entire week in Blue Haven and not sip the same coffee twice? The Blue Haven boardwalk is blessed to have so many amazing coffee choices. Here are my recommendations for how to go about having the best coffee adventure. On Sundays you

Slip your phone in a zip-lock bag before heading to the beach. This will allow you to still be able to use it while keeping it free of sand and saltwater Bring baby powder! When your beach day is over, you know you’ll be bringing some of the beach home with you. Sprinkling baby powder on your skin before you get in the car will help to dry your skin and the sand will fall off easier! Fill a couple water bottles with water halfway and freeze overnight. Before you leave for the