tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43502587504324815612024-03-13T20:01:31.842-04:00GetawayGirlTravelsFlorida travel writer Marcia Biggs shares her stories of destinations around Florida and the world. Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-11874165843440672962020-04-22T20:21:00.000-04:002020-04-29T12:16:33.616-04:00St. Augustine: From Church to the Grave
Every time I visit the area I enjoy it more, from the Oldest City's historic charm to the beautiful beaches and natural areas nearby. This region of northeast Florida is a haven for wildlife -- particularly birds migrating through here along the Great Florida Birding Trail -- and a center for wildlife research.
Hiking the GTM Reserve in search of birds./Marcia Biggs
The annual Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-81187116491334680332015-11-03T12:25:00.001-05:002015-11-03T13:50:16.834-05:00Tour de Shine: St. Petersburg Art Murals by Bicycle
I love discovering incredible destinations in my own backyard. Downtown St. Petersburg has become well-known in cultural circles not only for its world-class museums, but also for its growing collection of art murals.
This fall the Shine Mural Festival brought in artists from across the country, including Canada and the Caribbean, to add 15 new murals. It's easy to stroll along the Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-70078634574208726792014-11-28T19:15:00.001-05:002014-11-28T19:56:59.043-05:00North Carolina is for Winos
Shelton Vineyards at sunset. Photos by Marcia Biggs
So many travels, so little time. The Getaway Girl has some catching up to do! On a long summer weekend I found myself back in North Carolina to explore the wine region of the Yadkin Valley. Just a few hours northwest of Raleigh in the Appalachian foothills, the Yadkin Valley is gaining
recognition as Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-36398758994735884532014-05-28T16:42:00.001-04:002014-05-28T16:44:46.271-04:00Rocky Mountaineer: Seattle to Banff Canada via Luxury RailCome along with me on a train ride along the Puget Sound north of Seattle and east from Vancouver into the Canadian Rockies ... all in 4 short minutes.
For more information on the Rocky Mountaineer, go to www.rockymountaineer.com
Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-9370695133611413292014-05-24T09:04:00.001-04:002014-05-24T10:26:52.639-04:00Cayman Islands: In Love With Sea Turtles
Breeding Lagoon
The Getaway Girl and her family took a cruise to the Caribbean this spring, landing in Cayman Islands one day. Since I love being one with nature and wild critters, the highlight of the trip was on Cayman Islands where we visited the CaymanTurtle Farm and the famous Stingray City sandbar for some uno-y-uno with the giant stingrays. (See Stringray City posting).
Nesting Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-85061464423556107782013-05-08T12:00:00.000-04:002013-05-08T12:18:32.131-04:00St. Simons Island - Coastal Georgia's Golden Isles
View of Jekyll Island from St. Simons Island
I rolled down my windows as I exited I-95, smelling the salty sea air as I headed east toward the Atlantic Coast. Passing through the small port city of Brunswick, I turned into the bluebird sky and vast salt marshes that welcomed me here to the Golden Isles of Georgia. In the distance, a mighty suspension bridge loomed like the Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-21589441591224043322012-07-01T20:45:00.000-04:002020-04-29T12:57:53.691-04:00Summer in Switzerland
Click on the arrow above to view a 4.30 minute video
By Marcia Biggs
The Getaway Girl was recently invited back to visit her favorite European country -- Switzerland! This is my fourth visit to a place that reminds me of a
National Geographic calendar at every turn.
In past visits, I have hiked and
biked and skied the mountains and valleys. I have soaked inMarcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-24353930653773312972012-03-18T23:23:00.000-04:002012-03-18T23:27:11.129-04:00In the Garden of Good and Evil
BONAVENTURE CEMETERY
Savannah, GA
Hauntingly beautiful, this historic cemetery was featured in the film "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
Click here to take a brief visit to this special place.
On the outskirts of Savannah, lies this scenic resting place for the
loved and lost souls of centuries past.
Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-70772049855805513262011-09-12T19:41:00.001-04:002011-09-19T10:27:35.314-04:00 A Visit to Beautiful St. Augustine
Click on the link above to view a slideshow
Photos and story by Marcia Biggs
The garden of the Westcott House (circa 1880)
My recent visit to historic St. Augustine was a delight to the senses.
Historic Inns of Elegance, quaint cafes and sophisticated restaurants greet the casual stroller in Old Town. A tour of the astounding Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-3107125285697131212011-09-05T15:41:00.000-04:002011-09-05T15:41:51.592-04:00Scalloping on Florida's Gulf CoastHere on the West Coast of Florida, snorkeling for bay scallops is a pretty popular weekend activity. The recreational harvest season for bay scallops this year runs June 25 through September 25. Unfortunately, you can’t search for scallops in Tampa Bay – it’s not legal here because of the limited number of scallops. However, about two hours north you can find numerous charter boats Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-53417907980973202702011-01-29T12:43:00.000-05:002011-01-29T16:48:50.644-05:00Kayaking Safety Harbor
By Marcia BiggsIf you're looking for a quiet getaway just minutes from Tampa and the beaches, the quaint town of Safety Harbor on Upper Tampa Bay is the perfect hideout. Many visitors like to stay at Safety Harbor Resort & Spa. From here you can stroll up Main Street and visit a number of small shops and cafes, enjoy the bike trail or just walk along the Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-50122188273797069802010-12-14T19:51:00.001-05:002011-01-20T09:58:16.871-05:00Arriving at Lake Atitlan By Ronnie Lovler
Photos by Tiffen Tapia
I’ll kick off with this picture of Lake Atitlan and the Atitlan volcano to begin this post. The first glimpse of the lake and the volcanoes is one of the times when the phrase "breathtaking" really does apply. Atitlan is the deepest lake in Central America and its waters don’t flow anywhere else. What makes it such a spectacular sight are the three Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-55644682643768390842010-11-25T14:57:00.001-05:002010-11-26T11:11:53.562-05:00Sea Turtles and More in MonterricoBy Ronnie Lovler
I said I would tell you about seeing the sea turtles on the beach of Monterrico in my last post, and now I will. It happened at night, of course, which is when the sea turtles lay their eggs. I was opting out of the trek along the beach because I was a bit worn out from the day. My son, who is many, many years younger than me, (duh, of course, or he wouldn’t be my sonMarcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-43797443923624951442010-11-18T12:16:00.000-05:002010-11-26T11:11:13.134-05:00Guatemala: Everything I remember and moreBy Ronnie Lovler
It has been more than ten years since my last trip to Guatemala, so going there again was really a treat. This time around I was traveling with my 22-year-old son, Tiffen. Our first stop was Monterrico – a small village on Guatemala’s black sand Pacific Coast.
From the airport, we went straight to La Avellana where we caught the “lancha” or ferry to Monterrico.&Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-34293538135667886252010-10-29T11:22:00.000-04:002010-10-29T11:22:56.890-04:00Chihuly Collection Is a Glass ActIf you like glass art, you have probably heard of Dale Chihuly, the Seattle glass artist whose colorful organic works have been exhibited around the world. Chihuly decided to open his first permanent gallery in downtown St. Petersburg in July, and it's a great place to visit if you are a glass art lover like me. Located along an upscale section of Beach Drive, the 7,600-square-footMarcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-24667566174710222682010-08-29T19:20:00.000-04:002011-09-05T16:01:41.872-04:00Great Tampa Bay Scallop Search 2010This short video will take you on a fun excursion as we search for scallops around Fort De Soto Park in South Pinellas County. Every year Tampa Bay Watch organizes this event and the community loves to participate! The number of scallops found helps determine the health of Tampa Bay and its eco-system. This year I joined executive director Peter Clark Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-4712099883806193972010-08-05T22:40:00.000-04:002010-08-05T22:40:54.628-04:00A Walk in the ParkVisited Moss Park on the southeastern edge of Orlando last weekend and despite the blazing heat took a hike through the neighboring preserve called Split Oak Forest. This is Orange County's largest park and I must say it is so clean and uninhabited that I thought it just opened! This 1,500-acre park is a jewel, with camping, picnicing, swimming and lots of wildlife.
We saw a number of sandhill Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-15228249668627468782010-07-27T23:37:00.000-04:002010-07-27T23:40:52.881-04:00Anna Maria Sunsets Rock
Whenever I go to Anna Maria Island (off Bradenton north of Sarasota), the sunsets just blow me away. The beaches are pretty sensational, too, with beautiful white sand, clear blue water and lots of laid-back dives to hangout in. This is the weekend beach getaway for the middle class, although you can find a couple of luxury condos here and there. By and large, it's a beer and Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-1590651284431819702010-07-06T11:57:00.000-04:002010-07-06T11:57:47.370-04:00Life's a (Clean) BeachOn June 26, thousands of local residents (including the Getaway Girl) and business owners flocked to beach locations around Florida to form a human hand-holding line on the shore in "Hands Across the Sand." Beachgoers united in a stand against opening off-shore drilling along the coast of Florida. Right now the beaches of Florida's panhandle are suffering from tar balls and oiled Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-34383209303505014422010-06-19T15:04:00.000-04:002010-06-19T15:05:26.292-04:00Florida Weekend Getaway DealsIf you want a nice Florida getaway this summer at a super discount, I discovered a great site at visitflorida.com where you can bid on hotel packages and get over 50% off the regular rate. I just spotted a winning bid for 3 days/2 nights in a one-bedroom condo at the Grand Panama Beach Resort for only $185! The retail value is listed at $668. Go to http://www.visitflorida.comMarcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-55168942824027866222010-06-06T18:32:00.000-04:002010-06-08T18:28:38.134-04:00Iceland is Open for Business!
The volcano has turned off. Tourism has turned on. If this doesn't make you want to visit, nothing will...check out the super fun video!Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-42673243292503196682010-05-31T16:25:00.000-04:002010-05-31T16:25:46.180-04:00Protecting Nesting Shorebirds
At the moment, the beaches in Florida are still picture-purfect (no oil in sight). Here's a photo of me shot over Memorial Weekend at Honeymoon Island State Park ... I volunteer to protect nesting shorebirds from predators like drunk boaters and their dogs. Not a bad gig, really. Most people see the signs and the taped off areas and understand they need to keep out. A lot of islands aroundMarcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-66512018143667131612010-05-17T02:02:00.000-04:002010-05-17T02:14:55.187-04:00Roadtrip 2010: Hope You Enjoyed the Ride The Getaway Girl RV Roadtrip 2010 has come to the end of the road. A special thanks to my Roadtrippers John and Sandy, left, and Val and Brian, right (that's me in the center). Happy trails!Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-35615918934270812192010-05-14T23:38:00.000-04:002010-05-15T00:13:02.097-04:00This Place RocksHere in Sequoia National Park, things really rock! Boulders the size of a house are everywhere amidst the forest and rivers and waterfalls.Today we hiked 2 miles to Moro Rock, a massive granite boulder that can be seen for miles. Once you climb the 400 or so chiseled steps to the top, you get one mind-blowing 360-degree view. This photo shows Val and me at the top of Moro Rock. From the top, we Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350258750432481561.post-11847204254145254802010-05-14T00:12:00.000-04:002010-05-14T00:34:10.588-04:00There'Snow Bears HereEverywhere you go around the Sierra Mountains, there are warnings about the bears. Don't feed the bears. Watch out for the bears. Well, today, we finally saw those sneaky bears! Freaked us out as we were driving along the main road in Sequoia National Park, rounding a curve and there they were ... a mother and 2 cubs. Took this photo from the car window.Today, we drove south from Yosemite to a Marcia Biggs The Getaway Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078151468198135099noreply@blogger.com