Assateague Island National Seashore

We visited two ends of the Assateague Island National Seashore, in Maryland and Virginia. Famous for their wild horses.

The NPS map; click or tap to interact:

An interactive map of our route (we were going to have dinner in Ocean Beach, but it was too busy, so we continued up the coast to Bethany Beach):

Visitor center:

Assateague Island National Seashore

Visitor center

Wild horses:

Horses

Sign

Dunes trail hike:

Dunes trail hike

Biplane

Dunes trail hike

Wild horse and touron:

Horse and touron

Horse

The Chincoteague end of the island:

Chincoteague

Horse corral, where they collect the horses on this end of the island:

Horse corral

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Bay

A popular beach:

Beach

Lighthouse info:

Lighthouse info

Lighthouse trail

Lighthouse

Colonial Williamsburg

We visited Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, which could be described as Disneyland for history buffs.

An interactive map:

Another interactive map on their website.

Historic Triangle:

Historic Triangle

Williamsburg sign:

Williamsburg sign

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Relief map:

Relief map

Model:

Model

Path by a stream under a bridge:

Path by stream under bridge

Governer’s Palace:

Governer's Palace

Kitchen:

Governer's Palace

Horse and cart:

Horse and cart

Building

Lunch at The King’s Arms:

Building

The King's Arms

Street

Capitol guided tour:

Capitol

Raleigh Bakery:

Raleigh Bakery

Shops:

Shops

Sheep:

Sheep

Cows:

Cows

Pond and a pointy building:

Pond and building

Bridge back to the visitor center:

Bridge back to visitor center

An interesting experience.

Colonial National Historical Park: Jamestown

We visited a couple of areas of the Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia, including Yorktown and Jamestown Island. This post is about Jamestown.

Jamestown is in multiple parts; a touristy Jamestown Settlement, that we didn’t visit (this time), and Jamestown Island, which is partly NPS, and partly a Preservation Virginia area.

The NPS map; click or tap to interact:

An interactive map of the Jamestown Island area:

Historic Jamestowne:

Historic Jamestowne

Glasshouse ruins:

Historic Jamestowne

Glasshouse

A replica Glasshouse, that does glassblowing demonstrations:

Replica Glasshouse

Jamestowne visitor center:

Visitor center

Auditorium:

Visitor center

Exhibits:

Visitor center

Monument:

Monument

Pocahontas:

Pocahontas

Relief map:

Relief map

Captain John Smith:

Captain John Smith

Cannon:

Cannon

The Barracks:

The Barracks

Indian tools; this guy showed and handed around various tool components, and told of their manufacture:

Indian tools

Church:

Church

Cellar kitchen:

Cellar kitchen

Blacksmith workshop:

Smith

This recreator talked Jenn’s ear off with old-timey tales:

Smith

Shrine

The Statehouse:

The Statehouse

Museum:

Museum

Ancient foundations under the floor:

Museum

Gift store:

Gift store

Fascinating stuff.

Colonial National Historical Park: Yorktown

We visited a couple of areas of the Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia, including Yorktown and Jamestown Island. This post is about Yorktown.

The NPS map; click or tap to interact:

An interactive map of the Yorktown area:

Historic Yorktown:

Historic Yorktown

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Yorktown:

Yorktown

Washington, North Carolina

While staying across the river in Chocowinity, North Carolina, we visited the larger city of Washington a couple of times. According to that Wikipedia article, it is commonly known as “Original Washington”; it was established in 1776, and is the first city named after President George Washington. (Washington, DC was founded in 1791.)

An interactive map:

View from bridge:

View from bridge

“Washington Square Mall” — a small strip mall here, not at all like the big Washington Square Mall in Portland, Oregon:

Washington Square Mall

We had dinner at Boss Hog’s Chicken & BBQ:

Boss Hog's Chicken & BBQ

Waterfront:

Waterfront

Main Street:

Main Street

Crab sculptures:

Crab sculpture

Crab sculptures

Main Street

We went to the Blu Farm to Table restaurant for my birthday, dining on their rooftop patio:

Blu restaurant

Unfortunately, we didn’t particularly enjoy the food. Oh well.

Waterfront:

Waterfront

Artwork

Main Street

A fairly cute little town.

The Birthplace of Pepsi

We visited The Birthplace of Pepsi, located in New Bern, North Carolina. Our third soda-history stop, after the Dr Pepper Museum and the World of Coca-Cola museum.

Pepsi-Cola was invented by Caleb Bradshaw while working in a pharmacy at this location, now a soda and swag shop celebrating that history.

The Birthplace of Pepsi

“Brad’s Drink”:

Brad's Drink

The Birthplace of Pepsi:

The Birthplace of Pepsi

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

We briefly visited Fort Raleigh National Historic Site in North Carolina. This is the site of the “Lost Colony”, that arrived in 1584 and vanished; their fate is still unknown.

Here’s the NPS map; click or tap to interact:

An interactive map:

Entrance

Visitor center

We had lunch in the picnic area:

Picnic area

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

We took a long drive out to and along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina.

The NPS map; click or tap to interact on their site:

An interactive map of our route to visit Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (post coming tomorrow), Wright Brothers National Memorial, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and Sugar Creek Seafood Restaurant for dinner on the way home:

A replica of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse at a gas station on the way:

Replica of Cape Hatteras lighthouse

Alligator River:

Alligator River

Cape Hatteras National Seashore sign:

Cape Hatteras National Seashore sign

Whalebone Junction Info Center:

Whalebone Junction Info Center

Bodie Island Light Station:

Bodie Island Light Station

Bridge:

Bridge

Ocean view:

Ocean view

Sand blowing over the road:

Sand blowing over the road

Cape Hatteras Light Station. It is currently undergoing repairs and restoration; they had just finished adding the scaffolding when we visited:

Cape Hatteras Light Station

Park Store:

Park Store

Museum:

Museum

The lighthouse was moved half a mile inland from the coast:

Museum

Saving the Light Station:

Saving the Light Station

Cape Hatteras Light Station:

Cape Hatteras Light Station

A long Sunday drive, but we enjoyed it.

Wright Brothers National Memorial

We visited the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved the first successful powered airplane flights.

Here’s the NPS map; click or tap to interact:

An interactive map:

Entrance:

Entrance

Visitor Center:

Visitor Center

Relief map:

Relief map

Exhibits:

Visitor Center

A full-sized reproduction of the first plane:

Visitor Center

Plaque

Home away from home:

Home away from home

First flights:

First flights

First flights launch marker:

First flights launch marker

Looking along flight path:

Looking along flight path

First flight marker; 12 seconds, 120 feet, December 17, 1903:

First flight marker

Second flight marker:

Second flight marker

Third flight marker:

Third flight marker

Fourth flight marker:

Fourth flight marker

First flight markers, and info sign about the launch rail:

First flight markers

Monument:

Monument

Plane sculpture:

Plane sculpture

Impressive how we’ve come so far since then.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

While staying at Myrtle Beach State Park, we went into Myrtle Beach proper a couple of times. Not the popular boardwalk and such, but along the endless strip of mini golf, beachwear, and pancake shops.

Myrtle Beach Welcomes You