Trip Journal
Another trip to Myrtle Beach departing April 9, 2026. Check back to see the photos and all the neat places we see. If you didn’t get to go this year, we’re having another trip next year departing April 8, 2027.
April 9, 20265 Thursday
It’s a mostly sunny day reaching the mid 70’s. We had one rain shower and lots of traffic in Chicago and Indiana. We’ll get to the Hampton Inn in Richmond Indiana just a little bit behind schedule.
Chicago Tollway
Chicago Tollway
Indiana State Line
Indiana State Line
Heavy Traffic
Heavy Traffic
Indiana Wind mills
Indiana Wind Mills
April 10, 2026 Friday
A beautiful sunny day in the 70’s. It was perfect for a drive through the hills of West Virginia. We went y the Capitolon the way to the Buckley coal mine. Retired miners gave great demonstrations inside the now defunct coal mine, very enjoyable and educational. Tonight we stay in Andy Griffith home town in Mt. Airy North Carolina.
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Mine Car
Mine Car
In the mine
In the mine
In the mine
In the mine
In the Mine
In the Mine
In the Mine
In the Mine
Mine Car
Mine Car
Mine Car
Mine Car
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
Beckley Coal Mine
April 11, 2026 Saturday
The weather was great all day – sunny 70’s & 80’s. We started in Mt. Airy with a city tour seeing all the references to Mayberry from the Andy Griffith TV Show. Snappy’s -home of the pork chop sandwich, Floyds Barber Shop, the courthouse, the jail and Wally’s Service Station. Lots of pictures, personal stories and a visit to The Andy Griffith Museum. This afternoon we drove to Myrtle Beach, checked into our ocean front condos and had a big dinner at the Giant Crab buffet.
Mayberry-Mt. Airy NC
Mayberry-Mt. Airy NC
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Downtown Mayberry
Downtown Mayberry
Downtown Mayberry
Downtown Mayberry
Downtown Mayberry
Downtown Mayberry
Wally’s Service Station
Wally's Service Station
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Wally’s Service Station
Wally's Service Station
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
The Courthouse
The Courthouse
The Courthouse
The Courthouse
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
The Courthouse
The Courthouse
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
The Courthouse
The Courthouse
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We’re in the jailhouse now.
The Courthouse
The Courthouse
We’re in the jailhouse now.
We're in the jailhouse now.
Wally’s Service Station
Wally's Service Station
Wally’s Service Station
Wally's Service Station
Wally’s Service Station
Wally's Service Station
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Andy Griffith Museum
Barney’s Sidecar
Barney's Sidecar
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
Andy & Opie
A great place to visit.
A great place to visit.
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
April 12, 2026 Sunday
A relaxing day with sunny skies. A perfect day in a perfect setting. We an also had optional shopping excursions throughout the day. Tonight dinner at the Giant Crab then off to the evening show at the Alabama Theaters. The ICONIC Show had many costume changes, dance moves and a wide variety of hit songs from different genres.
Our Condo Resort
Our Condo Resort
Our Condo Resort
Our Condo Resort
Beach Views
Beach Views
Beach Views
Beach Views
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
The Giant Crab
Our group at the Giant Crab
Our group at the Giant Crab
Alabama Theater “ICONIC SHOW”
Alabama Theater "ICONIC SHOW"
Alabama Theater “ICONIC SHOW”
Alabama Theater "ICONIC SHOW"
Alabama Theater “ICONIC SHOW”
Alabama Theater "ICONIC SHOW"
Alabama Theater “ICONIC SHOW”
Alabama Theater "ICONIC SHOW"
Alabama Theater “ICONIC SHOW”
Alabama Theater "ICONIC SHOW"
April 13, 2026 Monday
It’s not a broken record, another day of sun in the high 70’s. A full day of sightseeing starting out with a planation tour at Boone Hall. A tractor tour on the grounds, beautiful flowering gardens and a home tour of the owners mansion. After lunch, a tour of the Aircraft Carrier USS Yorktown CV10. We allowed full access of the ship including the flight deck and inside the ships lower floors. Also on site, the Vietnam Experience. Tonight we stay two nights at the Fairfield Inn in Charleston.
Boone Hall Plantation
Boone Hall Plantation
Plantation Oaks
Plantation Oaks
Plantation Oaks
Plantation Oaks
Boone Hall Plantation
Boone Hall Plantation
Plantation Gardens
Plantation Gardens
Boone Hall Plantation
Boone Hall Plantation
Plantation Gardens
Plantation Gardens
Boone Hall Plantation
Boone Hall Plantation
Plantation Gardens
Plantation Gardens
Boone Hall Plantation
Boone Hall Plantation
Plantation Gardens
Plantation Gardens
Boone Hall Plantation
Boone Hall Plantation
Boone Hall Plantation Slave Cabins
Boone Hall Plantation Slave Cabins
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
PXL_20260413_185134860
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
Vietnam Experience
Vietnam Experience
Vietnam Experience
Vietnam Experience
Vietnam Experience
Vietnam Experience
April 14, 2026 Tuesday
A sunny tour of Charleston. We picked up a local guide who pointed out many historical and interesting sites. The Citadel and the oversize class ring. The Hunley, a civil war submarine, and a replica of the first steam powered train. We had time for lunch and shopping at the historical marketplace district. After lunch we boarded a boat for a trip through the harbor to Fort Sumter. We saw cargo ships going to and from and had views of the Charleston Bridge and the USS Yorktown.
Civil War Submarine
Civil War Submarine
Civil War Submarine
Civil War Submarine
Charleston Neighborhoods
harleston Neighborhoods
George Washington Park
George Washington Park
George Washington Park
George Washington Park
The Citadel
The Citadel
The Citadel Class Ring
The Citadel Class Ring
The Citadel Chapel
The Citadel Chapel
The Citadel Chapel
The Citadel Chapel
My Best Friend Train
My Best Friend Train
City Marketplace Shops
City Marketplace Shops
US Customs
US Customs
Liberty Square
Liberty Square
Harbor cruise boat
Harbor cruise boat
Charleston Bridge
Charleston Bridge
USS Yorktown Carrier
USS Yorktown Carrier
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter Cannons
Fort Sumter Cannons
Fort Sumter Cannons
Fort Sumter Cannons
Fort Sumter Cannons
Fort Sumter Cannons
Cargo Ship
Cargo Ship
Harbor Dolphins
Harbor Dolphins
Car Carrier Cargo Ship
Car Carrier Cargo Ship
April 15, 2026 Wednesday
Today we made the trip from Charleston to Pigeon Forge, TN. We passed through North Carolina driving on roads still under construction after last year’s hurricane. The damage was devastating. In Pigeon Forge we had time to relax at the hotel, then it was off to dinner and then the show at the Comedy Barn.
Hurricane Road Reconstruction
Hurricane Road Reconstruction
Hurricane Road Reconstruction
Hurricane Road Reconstruction
Hurricane Road Reconstruction
Hurricane Road Reconstruction
Hurricane Road Reconstruction
Hurricane Road Reconstruction
Tennessee
Tennessee
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
The Comedy Barn
April 16, 2026 Thursday
It’s a nice travel day. We had a great afternoon break at Schimpf’s Candy Confectionery. Just outside Louisville. They have been making candy here since the late 1800’s. They made hard candy cinnamon drops for us and our group purchased those plus Easter chocolates and other treats. Tonight we stay at the Drury Inn in Lafayette Indiana.
Schimpff’s Candies
Schimpff's Candies
Schimpff’s Candies
Schimpff's Candies
Cooking the candy
Cooking the candy
Checking the Temperature
Checking the Temperature
Pouring it on the steel slab
Pouring it on the steel slab
Working the flavoring in
Working the flavoring in
Running it through the roller
Running it through the roller
Schimpff’s Candies
Schimpff's Candies
Schimpff’s Candies
Schimpff's Candies
Schimpff’s Candies
Schimpff's Candies
April 17, 2026 Friday
A normal driving day all the way back home to Winona. After that the tornado warnings expired in the area with one semi laying on its side and some buildings were damaged at our last stop in Stewartville.