Geographically blessed, we can pretty much stay put or head in any direction from our city and end up someplace nice for summer vacation. Whether you’re on a budget or seeking five-star accommodations, there is something to guarantee a fun summer getaway for all Peachtree Corners families.

Wisdom from a travel advisor

Luxury Travel Advisor Jeanne Derderian shared some vacation trends. When travel became complicated due to COVID-19, area residents flocked to road trip destinations like Charleston, Kiawah Island, Blackberry Island, Amelia Island and the Florida panhandle, she said.

Why use a travel advisor? “We have access to discounted rates and perks like complimentary breakfast and resort credit,” Derderian shared.

With ever-changing travel requirements for each state and country, it makes sense to have a professional manage the details. “I’ve always handled tours, hotels, restaurant reservations and spa appointments, but now there’s a lot more to do because of COVID. You have to follow the rules exactly or you won’t get in,” she said.

From perfectly timed COVID tests to downloading apps — in Iceland for example, visitors must use an app that tracks them during their stay — Derderian can make your trip seamless. Find her on Facebook (@JeanneLargayTravel) and on Instagram (@jeannederderian).

A sign of the times

Before the pandemic, Europe was the most popular summer destination. “I’m advising clients not to book Europe now. People are still locked down,” Derderian said. “You want to have the full experience. If museums, excursions and restaurants are closed, it’s just not the same.”

Now more than ever, with people avoiding cities and destinations abroad, she is being asked to help with beach trips as U.S. beaches become increasingly crowded.

“Everyone wants to go to the beach or to the mountains. There aren’t enough hotel rooms to rent. There is not much availability nowadays,” she warned. “For a beach, I’d consider Mexico or an island, if you’re comfortable getting on a plane.”

Top beach destinations include Florida’s gorgeous panhandle, Watercolor Beach, Rosemary Beach and the Keys. Other favorites include South Carolina beaches, like Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head, as well as Georgia’s Sea Island.

“All of the trips that were booked for last year got canceled. They’ve since been rebooked, so there’s not a lot of availability through 2023,” Derderian explained.

Supply and demand have driven prices up, she noted. The luxury hotel in Watercolor Beach and The Pearl in Rosemary Beach are more expensive now. The same room she booked for someone in Jackson Hole last year costs double this year. Nonetheless, she is certain the hotels will be sold out.

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Travel tips from a pro

■ Plan ahead for a rental car. Cars are difficult to get and they’re expensive. For a recent Yellowstone Trip she booked, rental cars were going for $6,000 a week. Whereas a rental car was once a last-minute consideration, Derderian suggests securing a rental before you even purchase flights. “Rental car companies sold off their fleets when the pandemic hit. There are very few cars available. It’s something you really need to consider up front and make sure you’re comfortable incurring the cost,” she said.
■ Among the top places to visit this summer is Iceland. “Iceland just opened up, that could be a great place to go,” Derderian said. “U.S. cities like New York and Washington, D.C. — the prices are good, and they’re starting to open up.” National Parks, not necessarily the best-known ones, should be explored, she added. “If you’re willing to be a little more adventuresome, the Faroe Islands are open to vaccinated Americans, and there are not many cases of COVID there.” The trick today, according to Derderian, is to find the sweet spot — a place that’s open, and relatively safe.
■ If you’re seeking U.S. beach or mountain destinations, it won’t be easy to find something available — and it’ll be expensive. “Make a good friend who has a home there,” she said. “Otherwise, it’s going to be hard.” But it may well be worth it. “You can rent a home in Blue Ridge,” suggested Derderian. “It’s just gorgeous. We have a mountain home there, and it’s only two hours away.”

As for Derderian’s own summer plans? She’ll be heading to Aruba at the end of May to celebrate her mother-in-law’s 86th birthday. Multi-generational family trips is another trend. Later, she and her husband will check out an all-inclusive adult resort in Cancun.

A woman’s work is never done! Some college visits will be planned, if campuses open up, and in July, she’s hoping restrictions will be lifted in Greece.

See the USA

Beach, please! Is the beach your happy place? Head south, to northwest Florida. Just a five-hour road trip away or a one-hour flight, the Florida panhandle offers 200 miles of white sand beaches with crystal waters guaranteed to scratch anyone’s itch for a beach getaway.

Along the beaches in South Walton, Florida scenic route 30A stretches between Destin and Panama City, dotted with upscale beach towns boasting views of the Gulf of Mexico’s turquoise waters, and sugary white sand beaches. Jennifer Hathaway and her family love to escape there.

“The beautiful beaches, great restaurants and cute boutiques of 30A are a great option for Peachtree Corners families. Our favorite is Rosemary Beach,” Hathaway said. “It’s family-friendly. It looks like a European village with a town square and cobblestone pathways. The vacation homes and condos reflect the same architecture.”

Why 30A gets an A+

The area offers tennis, fitness centers, pools, yoga on the green, standup paddleboard (SUP), kayak and bike rentals, private golf courses, concerts on the green, movie nights and kid friendly events, so it’s appealing to all ages.

Beach service includes chair and umbrella rentals and bonfires at night. Restaurant options range from fine dining (Restaurant Paradis) to casual (Cowgirl Kitchen). “Our favorite is La Crema Tapas and Chocolate — fabulous food, wine and delicious chocolate desserts,” Hathaway said.

Ample green spaces and boardwalks provide easy access from vacation homes to beaches, restaurants and shops. The beach towns in this area (Seacrest, Alys, Watersound, Seagrove, Seaside, Watercolor, Grayton Beach, Blue Mountain, Dune Allen) are connected by sidewalks where people can stroll, jog and bike.

Hathaway shared, “With so many cute beach towns, each with its own style and personality, great restaurants, coffee and ice cream shops, wine bars, breweries, bookstores and cute boutiques, everyone will find their perfect beach on 30A!”

There are only two types of Peachtree Corners residents, those who have been to 30A and those who will go to 30A.

The mountains are calling, and I must go!

If you prefer higher elevations and cooler temperatures for some relief from the Georgia summers, that segment of the Appalachian Mountains in northeast Georgia is a must. Quaint mountain towns and stunning views await in historic towns like Ellijay, Blue Ridge, and Blairsville. For those willing to travel outside of Georgia, other beautiful mountain destinations are not too far away.

Brevard, NC

A three-hour drive away from their Peachtree Corners home, Brevard, North Carolina has drawn Jay and Susan Polokoff for over 20 years. The condo they recently inherited from Susan’s parents is located in a valley overlooking a river and a golf course. The community is an Audubon Conservatory — a nature lover’s dream for bird watching, gardening and wildlife sightings.

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Once a retirement destination, Brevard has seen an influx of young families moving in since the pandemic. Many are second homeowners from all over.

“It’s a great mountain community with just about everything you’d want to do. There’s access to hiking. There are five natural spring-fed lakes, perfect for swimming and kayaking,” Susan said. “Brevard boasts nice restaurants, an old-fashioned downtown area with a movie theater, candy and ice cream shops, an art gallery, breweries and a farmers market on Saturday mornings.”

Jay enjoyed the Brevard Music Center bringing in guest conductors every year, until COVID struck. Visitors can hike in the DuPont State Recreational Forest where many scenes of the 2012 blockbuster “The Hunger Games” was filmed.

It’s also a draw for mountain bikers. This small town of 8,000 boasts four bike shops. “We like to ride bicycles. They built the Brevard Bikeway that goes from downtown into Pisgah National Forest. You don’t have to ride with traffic for the most part,” Susan said.

Motorboats are not allowed on the spring-fed lakes, only canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. The water is clear and like glass.

The Polokoffs like to spend a week or long weekends in Brevard. Their 32-year-old daughter enjoys visiting and hiking there, too. With Jay on the cusp of retirement, they plan to spend more time there in June, July and August.

Waynesville, NC

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Every June, Bob and Lori Howard plan a two or three-day hiking trip to Waynesville, North Carolina. They like to stay at the Waynesville Golf and Country Club, and one of their favorite hikes is nearby Flat Laurel Creek.

To learn about the Flat Laurel Creek hike, visit hikewnc.info/besthikes/black-balsam/flat-laurel-creek.

Travel Abroad

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

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Prudence Franklin and her family enjoy summer visits to Ocho Rios, Jamaica about every three years. Franklin grew up in Oracabessa, where the 12 original James Bond novels were written and where two of the Bond films were made.

“There’s a beach called the James Bond Beach,” Franklin said. It’s on the north shore. On the outskirts of Ocho Rios, in Brighton, one can visit the Blue Hole, a natural limestone sinkhole and mineral spring with azure waters 20 feet deep, which Franklin describes as “the Garden of Eden.”

In Ocho Rios, you can swim with the dolphins, tour in glass bottom boats and enjoy a roller coaster-like bobsled ride through the rainforest in homage to the 1988 Jamaican Bobsled team from the movie, “Cool Runnings.”

“The people are friendly, really relaxed and laid back. Your vacation can be as active or quiet as you like,” Franklin shared.

Franklin and her family prefer active vacations. They like to incorporate learning something new on their travels. When heading to Tennessee for example, they’ll stop along the way and visit Indian reservations where they can see artifacts and learn about The Trail of Tears.

Ambergris Caye, Belize

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How about visiting a place where local wildlife includes toucans, parrots, jaguars and monkeys? Evan Hanson loves Belize so much, she purchased a condo on Ambergris Caye, an island off of Belize in Central America, east of Guatemala. Belize is becoming a favorite vacation and retirement spot.

“If you love the beach or outdoor activities, this is the place for you,” Hanson stated. Besides relaxing on the beach, possible activities include snorkeling, scuba diving in the world’s second largest reef, fishing and swimming with the sharks, stingrays — and if you’re lucky, manatees and whale sharks. There’s also sailing, kayaking, ziplining, cave tubing, spelunking, visiting Mayan Ruins or the zoo, and hiking by waterfalls.

Belize encompasses a multitude of cultures. Everyone is bilingual because the official language is English. “You can speak Spanglish and fit right in,” Hanson said.

The local cuisine is characterized by its Jamaican and Caribbean influences. Fish is prevalent. During lobster season, lobster is both abundant and affordable. Belizean fry jacks (fried dough) — sweet or savory — are a local breakfast favorite.

“What I love most about Ambergris Caye is the people — they are the nicest — followed by the ocean,” Hanson said.

Ambergris Caye is a party town, with lots of fun bars on the water. One of Hanson’s favorites is a place called Truck Stop, a bar with live music, games, a pool and food trucks. During the high season, large crowd of locals and tourists gather there.

Hanson’s condo, just steps from the ocean, may be available for your summer vacation! Visit indigobelize.com/beachfront-condo-4a/.

Staycation

Fun on the Hooch!

“My family and friends love to play on the water and there’s nothing more convenient than the Chattahoochee River which runs right through Peachtree Corners,” said Sonia Lee. Activities include playing on the rocks at Jones Bridge Park and kayaking down the river.

“My friends and I also love to have moms-only floats down the river,” Lee shared. For the past several years, she has organized a Beach Day for her kids and their friends at Buford Dam Park on Lake Lanier.
In an effort to “give back” to the river which provides so much enjoyment, they volunteer regularly at the bi-annual Sweep the Hooch event to help clean up the parks along the river, as well as the Chattahoochee itself. To get involved visit chattahoochee.org/sweep-the-hooch/.

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For more local summer activities visit exploregeorgia.org/city/peachtree-corners.

As the old adage goes, travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. Whether you’re traveling internationally, across the U.S. or staying in Georgia this summer, there are plenty of opportunities to get out and visit something new. I hope you do, and I’m wishing you all a safe and amazing summer!

Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before. — Dalai Lama