[Music] Hello, and welcome to Vacation Station, hosted by Lisa and Nancy, editors of Big Blend Magazine's.com. [Music] Welcome to Big Blend Radio's Vacation Station travel show with Nancy and Lisa. Today, we welcome back travel writer Debbie Stone, and she has been all over the south lately. I mean, she's been from Virginia Beach, she's been to Greenville, South Carolina, she's been to all these national parks like Dry Tortugas, and Biscayne, and Congary. She has been the Key West, I think is at Ponderverde. I think she's going to tell us about too. But today, she's going to talk about her first destination on this big adventure she took through the south. She started off in Virginia Beach. Now, I want to go, you can check out the website, visit virginiabeach.com, but I also encourage you to go to blendradio and tv.com and just type in Virginia Beach, and you can, actually it's right there on the home page right now. You'll see Big Zeus, this big sculpture of Zeus, and you know it's cool. He's really cool, but her story is up there and will also be featured in an upcoming issue of vacation station travel magazine. But first things first, welcome back fire monkey, how are you? I am doing well and ladies, you too. Yeah, we're doing fantastic. We're up in your home state of Washington, just outside Seattle, and it's beautiful. And we've been in all kinds of places that you've written about and love other writers too. So it's kind of feel like a homecoming in a way being out here. And just you guys, they make wonderful wine. Among other things, right? Yes, of course. Beautiful. But it's so interesting, here we are, and then you are completely on the other side of the country at Virginia Beach. And gosh, you know, your photos and the article sounds like this is a place where it's kind of like a destination. There's something, it's a destination that has something for everyone. So like, I almost feel like a whole family, a multi-generational adventure could happen if you go to Virginia Beach. I think there's something for every age and, you know, every interest, so to speak and, you know, but what really surprised me about the place was it just is not like your typical, you know, beachy type of destination. It's just, it's really has so many surprises. It goes beyond expectations and, you know, what you usually expect with beach destinations are basically just all about the sun, the sand, the water, the sea, you know, I mean, and it's, you know, it's wonderful and I love beach destinations. But this one, you know, has all of that plus, you know, it has museums and cultural offerings and great green spaces and historical sites and, you know, good food. And so it really is kind of this whole encompassing destination that, you know, you can find not only the sand in the sea, but that everything else. That's awesome. That's cool. And King Neptune. I was calling him Zeus. Yes. Zeus. Why did I get stuck in Zeus? I don't know, but Neptune. He's got the, the. Yeah. He's got to try. He's got to try. He's got to try. He's got the look. He's got the look. But. Oh, yeah. He is. Yeah. He's the God of the seed. He's a welcome. I mean, you know, he welcomes, you know, visitors there. He's, I mean, you can't miss him as well. You know, it's right up right there in the center of the boardwalk there, which is a great three mile stretch. People, you know, love walking on it, biking on it, whatever. And he's there and, you know, he pays supposedly homage to the whole maritime scene there and also tries to instill, you know, kind of environmental message about the ocean and everything. But, you know, what I found, what I found great about that whole boardwalk scene is that every so often you come across these wonderful nautical sculptures or these monuments. Cool. So it's really fun. It's like, you know, finding these little outdoor gems or surprises. And, you know, they, they have done such a good job there of, of their outdoor art that it's, it's a real pleasure when you're, you're walking down that boardwalk. I love this and the other part too. All those sculptures, the fish sculptures. I love those. They're neat. But, you know, it seems the other thing is that a lot of famous people come from Virginia beach and I didn't realize like you were saying like Ella Fitzgerald Edgar Allen Poe, you know. Yep. So that's a rush. Yeah. Woodward Woodrow will present Wilson. I mean, there was, you know, there's a whole, there's a whole legends walk where, you know, they honor, honor these great Virginians and, and what they, the kind of contributions that they've made. And so every year they try to, I guess, put in a new inductee to the memorial, which is kind of cool, you know. Wow. Yeah. So that's there. And then there's a naval aviation park there monument park with a lot of aviation history. And then there's a lot of sculptures in different times. And so it's, it's just, I don't know, it's just, it's fascinating. You know, you could just walk the boardwalk and learn so much about the area. Wow. That's cool. See at the naval aviation monument park you talked about. So it's got all this naval, you know, history, but at the same time, there's also a military aviation museum too. So a lot went down hill, you know, when we talk about, you know, military. Now, Virginia Beach is very close to Norfolk, which is, you know, of course, we, you know, very much military based and, and naval based. And so there is a lot of that history in that whole region. And yeah, you can go to that museum, the military aviation museum and it's, it's got this amazing collection of World War One World War Two aircraft, military aircraft. And, you know, it's all been restored and it's also, they do these flight demos if you're there at the same at these air shows and you can see these amazing, you know, historic vehicle aircraft in mode, so to speak. So yeah, so there's, there's this whole big tie in there. That's awesome. Well, I know because the East Coast was really used a lot, you know, for the flight and even, like from Florida on up, it's actually how they started the Air Force, even was alpha there. These these Yale students decided to get in the, you know, that they needed to fight from the air. And that's how we've got our Air Force, actually, were the pilots. Some crazy history when you think about it like hey, I'm just going to skip school for a while and go fight a war and learn how to be a fighter pilot. Yeah, I want to go fly. But they had to teach it, you know, they, they all got together and learned how to do it. And I think that it's an amazing story. But apparently, you know, the East Coast is just, you know, an amazing place to, you know, for the visuals and then, you know, tying back to Norfolk. And we've actually done whole shows on this, but the connection between Norfolk and the States and Norfolk, England. And there's a huge connection, especially for World War II. So it's really fascinating when you get into that history. And then I think even Nancy and I right now being out in Washington State, we drove up through the Redwoods, through California and the Oregon coast. And also done, you know, some like would be island and a quarters. When you haven't been to the beach for a while and you start getting out on the beaches where all this history happens. I mean, the World War II history and then you've got the seagulls, but you look out in the water and you think about what people went through. You know, historically, whether it's, you know, World War I, World War II. It's pretty mind-blowing. Imagine being on a ship. I mean, when things went down out there in the ocean and it's cold water and they're sure. No, it's cool. I know. It's mind-blowing. But it's, I think for people who have an interest in that particular niche, you know, it's really cool to, you know, combine that when you're in a vacation. You know, if you have that interest and you go to these places and there is that tie in, you know, it's, it's, for some people, that's, you know, that's a real highlight, you know. And then the history part two. I mean, you've got to think this is, you know, the first landing state park you talk about and that to me and also the Cape Henry Lighthouse. I mean, this goes way back when this is some of our oldest American history, I should say. Of course, our indigenous people, they come first, right? And nature comes first, but we're talking about here is, you know, the, the America, the birth of Anglo America. Let's put it. Right. Right. And the, you know, the first landing state park is where, you know, the colonists came from England and they, you know, first landed there in like what 1607 and, you know, it is, that is Virginia's most visited state park and it is a natural, a national natural market as well, because it has all this amazing, you know, these cypress swamps, these forests, these, you know, right on the beach frontage, there's lots of trails. And then right across the way is the Cape Henry Lighthouse, which was the first federal construction project that the government approved following right after the Revolutionary War, you can climb the 191 steps to the top. And the views are amazing. And you can see the new Lighthouse, which is across the way, which you can't go into, but I prefer the, I mean, the old, the old and original Lighthouse is quite, quite cool to, to go in and get to the top of it. It's, it needs to be the bay, the Chesapeake Bay. So, yeah, so that is a real great historic link for that for Virginia Beach, you know. Now, I really want to talk about it, Casey, and we've got to talk about surfing and all that good stuff, too, and food and, and, you know, the historic hotel. So in art, there's a whole bunch going on, but Edgar Casey, when we talk about history, I mean, this guy, I mean, I don't know if you've read his books, but he's like trippy, dude. Oh, yeah. Well, he, you know, he was the, well, first of all, he was like considered like the father of holistic medicine, but he was like this. He was a very highly documented psychic back in the 20th century, and he would go in these like hypnotic trances. And then he would give these psychic readings to people that were having issues, whether whatever it was, and health issues, and then he would outline their treatments, and he also could reveal past lives. He could predict future events, and he did readings. I couldn't believe he did readings over 14,000 people in his lifetime. I mean, that's a lot insane. And so you can visit this, the ARE, which is the Association for Research and Enlightenment, his association there, and you can go in there and take a tour, and you can learn all about him. You can see the couch that he laid on and would give these, you know, readings, and this woman who we had hired a long, long time ago, but when she was just very young, would do, would, you know, document or take the notes of these readings. And they're all in this library, and you can just pull out these books and see these readings and see what he said about these people who had different, you know, elements or different, you know, issues that they wanted clarification on, you know, and he just was very, very, as you said, kind of a trippy dude, like you said. That's cool. You could go to and lie down. I'm sure they wouldn't let you, but you could lie down on the couch, and then he gets into your body, and when you get up, you're him. Wouldn't that be spooky? That would be very bizarre. Really? Well, you never know. I'm just saying. I'm just saying, you know, but I mean, it's, I wonder how many people go there, you know, just, he touched so many people. I mean, he touched so many people in his career. You know, he really did. And, and people today, you know, the people want to, you know, the people go there. I mean, by the droves, it's quite a highlight, quite a mean attraction in Virginia Beach. Many people that go to Virginia Beach don't even know that it exists. And, you know, they find out about it, and they're very curious about it, or there are people that go directly to Virginia Beach for this particular. For that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Highlight, because for them, they're fascinated and they want to learn more about it. And, you know, there are all sorts of, you know, materials. There's also some resources. You know, it's basically an oasis for people, for scholars, for healthcare professionals, just for visitors who want to learn about his legacy. And, you know, there are, you know, he dealt, he touched upon things like dreams and intuition and health and meditation. And so it's fascinating. And you can go in here a lecture and, you know, it's just, and there's a spa there, and you can get treatments. So it's really, I mean, for me, I didn't know very much about him. I'd heard about him, but I didn't really know much about him. And so for me, it was this, you know, a real kind of eye opener, and I was very curious about him. So I did a little bit more research after going there, because I was like, God, I need to know a little more about this man. And he's very intriguing. He's deceased. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you should be this book, man. Yeah, his work lives on, you know what I mean? So he blows my mind is that him and Edgar Allan Poe in the same area. That's wild stuff, you know, that's true. That's very, very true. That's like, it's just, yeah, that's trippy to me. It just, yeah, it kind of, sometimes I think people are like these little soul groups, you know. I don't know if that's not getting woo woo, but, you know, he did that. Or maybe the area just incites imagination. Well, you know, it could, you know, it could be very attractive to people for certain reasons. I know for him, he got to Virginia Beach because of his own readings, which pointed him to that destination. So something told him that he should go there, you know, and whether or not other people, you know, are attracted or feel a magnetic pole to there. It's interesting who finds their way there, you know. Well, speaking about that too, the nature side of it sounds like that's part of it is that it's, it's beautiful. The ocean does things. And I think there's a, there's a magic to the ocean. Just the time going in and out. And I think that that's part of it that these people go there. There's the beach is healing. It really is. I mean, it, you cannot be a walk on the beach. You just, it's even if it's bad weather. There's just something awesome about it. So I bet it draws people in from there. But you went on a boat ride, didn't you? No, I did not go on a boat ride there. No, I did. Oh, you're talking about a boat tour that does that. There is, there is a boat tour. Yeah, there are, you can take over there. You can go well watching. You can go oyster, you know, you can go to see all about oysters. You can do dolphin watching, depending on the time of year, you know, you can do all of that. And yeah, there, you know, we heard this man with the oysters. He does the pleasure house oysters boat tour. His name is Captain Chris Ludford. And so he gave a talk to our group at the time and talking about what goes into all the, you know, farming and growing oysters. And so he does a whole excursion for people who want to get out there and really learn about oysters, you know, and of course taste oysters and all that kind of stuff. So yeah, I mean, there's a lot, there's, there's so many, the water sports are huge there and boating is obviously big there. Surfing is probably king. That's wild. You never think of the East Coast being a surfing. No, I know. I've got friends right now. But of course it is. Of course it is. But don't you always just kind of assume that the water is going to be way colder than on the Pacific coast. And it probably is. It's definitely, I'm sure it is, you know, definitely not in Washington North. I mean, you're like, you know, water down in Florida or water on the coast, you know. Yeah, but it has, you know, it, this has, they have a rich history there of surfing. It's, it's pretty amazing. And it goes back to the early 1900s. And, you know, somebody brought back a particular type of Hawaiian surfboard and which was the first kind of its, of its kind on the East Coast. And that like started this whole, you know, this surfing culture there. And one of the surfing, surfing major competitions, which is the Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships occur there every August. And it is a major, major event and thousands of people come. It lots of professional surfers, amateur surfers, everybody, people from around the world come there. And, you know, it's just not surfing. It's all sorts of other types of sports, like stay at a paddle boarding and, you know, beach volleyball and it's a big deal. And, yeah, you know, I thought to myself, gee, that would be so much fun to come back and actually watch, you know, because I think watching surfing is so, so amazing, you know, it is. I agree. I really agree. Surfing is, it's awesome. And it's not that easy, but people who get into it. I mean, and that, you know, there's a meditation to that too. Most of the surfers I know are just chill. They seem to have a calmness about them that just the ocean, I think, is very humbling too, you know. So when you get out there and you are at the, you know, it's all part of Mother Nature. So. And I also think he has a surfer, they learn, they have to be very patient because they're waiting for the right waves, the waiting for the right condition. So they have to be, you know, you talk about them being chill, but I think it's just, you know, that's a patience in learning how to, you know, be with Mother Nature, you know, and, and figure out how to utilize, you know, the water and the waves, you know, to their advantage in terms of the sport. So, yeah, I think that, you know, that that chill kind of personality lends itself to that, that activity. I think it's cool. What you can do out there, but there's a lot of hiking too. That's the other thing you went on a nice boat trip as well. Right, I didn't go on the boat. I'm not a boat trip a hiking trip. I am stuck with the boat. I don't know why I'm on the boat. I don't know why I am stuck on the boat. You need to go on the boat. That's what has to happen. You have to go back. So you can go on the boat. Yeah, I know. But you know what, I've been reading all your stories. That's the thing. You've been out on the water. You've been on the sea plains. You've been on all kinds of things. I've got you going everywhere. But you also went to a park, though, and there was no boat in the park, everybody. You can go on a boat. But Debbie did not go on the boat yet. But Mount Trashmore Park. What a name. I know I had to go and see this place because I thought to myself, this is just very, very cool. It's created. It was created by they said, compacting layers of waste, solid waste and soil. And so they created these two man-made mountains. And the main one is called Mount Trashmore. And it's now about 60 feet in height and 800 feet long. And it's just wild. You can walk up to the top of it. And there's also the park is great. It's a local favorite because it's got acres and acres and acres and trails and skate park and playgrounds and there's two lakes there. And so we walked around there for quite a while. It's just a nice place. And I just had to go see that because I thought to myself, this is very interesting. I haven't heard of this before, you know. Yeah, that's different. That is cool. Now, tell me about the food. Did you have seafood because you must have a oyster dude because I know you have seafood too. Definitely. I mean, this is a great coastal destination. And of course, seafood, if you like all the different kinds of shellfish and you like fish and you will find it in spades there. It's just, you know, they have what is very interesting is that she crabs soup, which is very delicious and then flounder and rockfish and scouts and shrimp and soft shell crab and, you know, just every type of seafood you can can imagine. And it's fresh and it's good. And lots of the restaurants there are, you know, really fun places, lively, live music, or they're on the beach, you know, and so, you know, it's a great scene, great food scene, just great ambiance. So food. And then there's craft brews from what I hear on a boat. Yeah, there is. Yeah, you share to get the boat in there. That is so funny. There's the boat. And so there's there's a beach beer trail and I want to go on the beach beer trail. Yeah, definitely. That sounds, that is, yeah, they've got this thriving craft beverage scene. I'll tell you, they've got distilleries and beer and then they've got this signature drink, the orange crush, which I thought was kind of interesting. It's a local libation, but you've got your orange juice, your sprite, your triple sec and they, that's, that's a, they, a local favorite there. Yeah, that's, to me, it is a local happy joy joy kind of thing to do is beyond the beach, have some beer, you know, go have libations of fruity orange crush, you know, I want to do that. We need to try that and then have a really good room at the end of the day. So that's the thing. Now this is another bit of history is the Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club to me. This is just, it's a, this is a place to go on its own, like, this is a destination. Absolutely. And even if you choose not to stay there, you can go and walk around on your own and check it all out. It is this magnificent property. You know, has circa 1920s and at the time was declared the finest resort hotel in America and it's up on this little bit of a hill and you overlook the oceanfront and it's, you know, has this kind of Jeffersonian style architecture. You know, with a rotunda and, you know, these couple of us in portico's and sloping lawns and sunken mountains and the beach club used to be, which was interesting beach club is a little bit further is like right down the hill, right on the water and it used to be this big band. Hot spots for like Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller and also Frank Sinatra came there. And so, you know, today it's now, you know, the private beach, the members lounge, the place for, you know, if you stay at the hotel, you can go down there and swim and hang out there. So it is just a really beautiful elegant spot and they do a high T there and then there's a whole historic area where you can learn about, you know, the past of the hotel and what happened to it and how it was used during the war and how it fell into disrepair and, you know, and how people came together together to preserve the property and it reopened just a few years ago, and it really is a stand out property. That's amazing. That is incredible. History. I know, I see, I love hotels like that, when you have that back story, you know, and hey, you know, F Scott Fitzgerald hangs, you know, he liked to go out there so, you know, go for him. I mean, that's another one. There's plenty of ghost stories there. I mean, we like that. Yes, of course, because we like of course, of course, you know, they're cool, man. They're not done yet. They just want to say, Hey, y'all, I got more to say. That's great. That is, to me, it just being able to have such a variety of things to do. You know, do you think like a family could stay there for like a week and still, you know, keep really busy? You know, definitely. I think, you know, the one thing we not touched upon is the aquarium and the moon center, which I think is one of, I mean, really a good aquarium. I was really quite pleased with that. I've been in a lots of aquariums and this one was great. Not only did it have a lot of interactives there for kids and for adults, but the creatures that they had were great. I'm my favorite. I love the museum. The jellyfish to me are so much way. They kind of like just morph into these different shapes, you know, and they have a great children's discovery zone. They have this wonderful, you know, section with sea turtles and sharks and all sorts of species. So, you know, that's a great place for a family. You know, you're there on the beachfront. You're at the sea, and it's like, why not learn about some of the creatures that live in that as well? Yeah, for sure. That's important that you learn something while you're there. I mean, and that's a great way to get children interested. You never know. Something might turn out to be a marine biologist one day, you know? Absolutely. You might spur sparks of interest, you know, and then, you know, if you like art, you know, they have the museum of contemporary art there. And they have also this place called the vibe creative district, which is this whole area that's kind of a hub for the city, for artists and artisans and a lot of creative businesses there. And you'll know it when you're there because there's this sidewalk art, there's murals, there's sculpture installation. And so, you know, so there's this whole creative vein that's there as well. So, you've got all these different people with, I mean, different interests, you know, whether you've got the surfers, you've got the artists, you've got the marine folks, you've got, you know, I mean, it's just, you know, you've got the whole kind of military tie in so, and then the food. So it's, it's really a place that appeals to so many interests. There's boats. Yeah, don't forget the, which I did not go on. I'm sorry. I know, but you know, you need to go back now. Or maybe Nancy, now we'll just go there. We'll go on the boat for you. Yeah, we'll go on the boat. Thank you. Thank you. We'll go on the boat. Apparently, I want to go on the boat, but you went on a sea plane too. So we'll be talking about that in your next. I did. Everyone, Debbie is on the show every fourth Tuesday here on big blend radio and we talk about all our destination she's been to. And she really did have this epic, you know, tour from Virginia Beach down to South Carolina in Florida. And so our next interview with her will focus on dry tortoogas National Park, Congaree National Park in South Carolina and also Biscayne National Park and we'll touch on her adventures in Key West and Greenville, South Carolina. And, you know, in this, she went in a kayak. Did you go on a boat? You did go on a boat. She got it. She went on a boat. Yay. So Debbie was on a boat. So stay tuned for that episode. Again, you can read her story up on blend radio and TV.com. Just type in Virginia Beach and you'll find it. And also it'll be an upcoming issue of vacation station travel. Now, if you want to go, which, who doesn't want to go? And if you do go, please post your pictures off the boat ride. Go to visit Virginia Beach.com. Thank you so much, Debbie. Always a pleasure to hear about your adventures. Thank you so much, ladies. Safe travels to you. You too. Take care. All right. [Music] (upbeat music)
