TripLearning

We went to North Carolina to revisit some places we used to live.  It is always interesting to go back to places that were part of your past.  Our oldest was born in North Carolina and lived there until he was two, so we like to take him back and remind him of people and places he used to know.  When we lived in North Carolina we were introduced to Hibachi cooking and a wonderful thing called Shrimp sauce.  We moved to Maryland and the Hibachi restaurants near us did not use shrimp sauce, so we love to eat Hibachi when we are back in North Carolina (or other southern Japanese restaurants that have shrimp sauce). Of course, a Hibachi grill can be costly and many charge extra if you share a plate with your child, so we opted for the less expensive and faster alternative in Gastonia , NC.  Sake Express is more of a fast food type Hibachi restaurant that offers great service at much more reasonable prices.  It did not disappoint.  The food was as deli...

We are not "beach people."  We may go to the beach, but we don't live at the beach.  For eight years we lived about 30 minutes from the ocean, but we only went there a couple times a year to swim and sit in the sand.  We are a fair-skinned family of redheads.  Our children love to play in the sand, but would prefer a pool over the ocean.  I love to walk on the beach or just sit by the water and read, but with four kids neither of these are easy to do right now. That being said, I really liked Folly Field Beach on Hilton Head Island.  It was convenient, not crowded, and cheap.  Now, parking is limited, so it is best to get there early to get one of the spots.  The nice thing is the parking lot is mostly shaded due to all the trees.  It costs $1/hour and the walk from the parking lot to the beach is short and easy.  They have a boardwalk area with bathrooms and outdoor showers as you head toward the beach.  Then it changes to rugs ...