Happy Trails Travel Archives

228 East Oglethorpe Avenue, One of Savannah, Georgia’s Most Historically Significant Homes

February 13, 2024 Valerie Archual Comments 2 comments

Photo courtesy of Back River Photography On my beloved visits to Savannah, Georgia, I have my own ritualistic route of stops I tend to make. Among them, I pay my respects to the residents of Colonial Park Cemetery. I take long and leisurely strolls, appreciating the beauty of each elegantly manicured square. I mosey down Bull Street and stop by E. Shaver Bookseller, where I get my feline and literary fixes, often leaving with a book or two. And then,…

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The Dunhill Hotel, Charlotte, North Carolina

November 21, 2023 Valerie Archual Comments 0 Comment

Located in Uptown Charlotte, amid all the fine dining, shopping, museums, and art galleries, is a most prestigious historical landmark. A work of art in its own right, The Dunhill Hotel stands proudly among the Charlotte skyline and is a respected elder to its neighboring structures. My husband and I recently traveled through Charlotte and crossed paths with The Dunhill Hotel. Known for almost a century as “Charlotte’s Hotel,” I knew right away The Dunhill would be our choice for…

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The Luck of the Draw

January 13, 2023 Valerie Archual Comments 4 comments

The number 13: The picture-perfect image of misfortune. We’ve all traveled those high-rise elevators, stayed in those hotels, or occupied the airline rows whose numerical sequences jump from twelve to fourteen. And, somehow, this odd way of calculating makes us feel better. But couple the number 13 with a Friday, and it becomes the notorious day for bad luck. As many argue its origin, the fact of the matter is that people have feared this calendar combination for centuries. Take…

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Ghost City Tours Savannah, Georgia: The Dead of Night

October 31, 2022 Valerie Archual Comments 0 Comment

Savannah, Georgia. I am romanced by its very essence each time I visit. From the captivating sways of those magnificent moss-draped oaks to the characteristic pasts of each manicured square, the glories of its gorgeous Georgian mansions and the sweet Southern drawl serenade of its hospitable inhabitants make Savannah one of the most visited cities in America. The touristy trance (I call it “The Spell of Savannah”) bewitches us from the moment we step foot on her brick-paved streets. And,…

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Cryptozoologist Daniel Benoit and His Quest for the Sasquatchian Legend

September 2, 2022 Valerie Archual Comments 0 Comment

Daniel Benoit loves the outdoors and everything it encompasses. Tagging alongside his father, an avid hunter and outdoorsman, Daniel spent countless hours as a boy exploring the woods and developed an appreciation and respect for nature and wildlife early on. That appreciation sparked by his father broadened as Daniel got older. The woods soon became a place he frequented, where he hunted and became increasingly acquainted with the wilderness and its inhabitants. And while Daniel’s love of nature stemmed from…

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The Jaws Tour, Martha’s Vineyard

July 29, 2022 Valerie Archual Comments 2 comments

Located just seven miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is the triangular-shaped Atlantic Ocean island known as Martha’s Vineyard. Measuring twenty-six miles long and nine miles wide, the island was established long ago as a prominent summer colony, and it’s no wonder! Spreading out among its six small towns, the Vineyard hosts a variety of sightseeing beauties. From its alluring beaches and quaint harbor towns to the country farmlands and neighborhood Carpenter Gothic cottages, the relaxed lifestyle of…

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The Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

June 10, 2022 Valerie Archual Comments 10 comments

It’s a Thursday afternoon in May, shortly before 4:00 pm. My husband drives up and parks in front of 530 William Penn Place in the bustling city of Pittsburgh. We are greeted by a courteous and uniformed valet attendant who eagerly unloads our bags from the car. As my husband and the attendant chat about the parking particulars, I step onto the sidewalk. As best I can, I gaze up to view The Omni William Penn Hotel. With its trio…

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Mt. Crumpit, Boulder Utah

December 3, 2021 Valerie Archual Comments 2 comments

Atop of Mt. Crumpit Drive lies a cave fit for, well, a Grinch! With the help of Vacasa, the vacation destination specialists, the ghastly green goblin we’ve all grown to love has chosen this holiday season to open up his residence for ten days only! From December 13th-23rd, the Grinch has opted to vamoose in order for a few curious and adventurous guests to share in his grinchy grotto this Christmas! Now, first things first, keep in mind this is…

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The Historic Lizzie Borden House Fall River, Massachusetts

November 3, 2021 Valerie Archual Comments 2 comments

“We’d be happy to have you!” read the email from US Ghost Adventures, but having received a formal invitation, I have to admit I got cold feet. “If we pull up and I feel any kind of bad juju or something, we’re bailing!” I informed my husband, as I reluctantly followed him out to the car. I knew right away that my visit to 92 Second Street in Fall River, Massachusetts would be far different from any other historical home…

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Shangri-La Prospect Hill, North Carolina

August 5, 2021 Valerie Archual Comments 0 Comment

Along a small stretch of Old North Carolina Highway 86, between Prospect Hill and Hightowers, sits a miniature metropolis masterpiece. Shangri-La is the pixie-sized stone town that evolved from the creative mind and artistry of Henry L. Warren, a retired tobacco farmer. Warren began creating the small village back in 1968 using blasted rock from his property, designing and constructing each piece himself. It was said by those who knew him that as long as Henry had a cigarette and…

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