Top travel moments from the past year

•Getting a kiss from a Beluga whale at SeaWorld of San Antonio, Texas. I will always remember putting on a wetsuit (for the first time ever) and getting in the water for an up close personal experience with the Beluga whales at SeaWorld. I had a smile plastered on my face the entire time. I don’t know how to swim and was a little nervous about getting in the water but it was so exciting to see the beautiful whales up close that my fears were soon gone. We visited with two beautiful Beluga whales, Oliver and Luna. I even kissed Luna before leaving. She also jumped up beside me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. What fun this was!

•Soaking in the natural beauty at Grandfather Mountain in Boone, N.C. Crossing over the Mile High Swinging Bride, will take you to the most scenic spot overlooking the North Carolina countryside. The Mile High Swinging Bridge is a 228- foot suspension foot bridge that connects

two peaks at one mile above sea level. On the other side of the bridge, you get a spectacular 360-degree view. This is the highlight of your visit as you look out across amazing views of mountain ridges.

•The Touch and Feed interactive tour at the historic Florida attraction, Marineland, which gives you an up close look at the amazing dolphins. A trainer will guide you as you pet and feed the dolphins. You are also likely to get splashed, so participants should be prepared to get a little wet. It’s a fun experience that adults and kids alike will enjoy. Casique is the dolphin that we were able to pet and feed.

•While Lake Charles, Louisiana, makes a fun place to visit during Mardi Gras, you can experience a little bit of the celebration any time you visit by stopping by the Mardi Gras Museum. A highlight of my trip was being greeted by the 12th Knight Revelers, a welcoming committee for the Mardi Gras. They go to balls, hospitals, schools and other places to promote Mardi Gras. As we got off our bus, they put beads on us and grabbed us to dance into the museum.

•I love a traditional tea and you don’t have to travel far to find a wonderful tea room. In Greensboro, visitors to The Potted Geranium tea parlor are greeted by owner Laura Kanitra, who makes you feel like a guest in her home. Traditional tea service and a light lunch are offered in a beautiful historic setting. We enjoyed The Victorian Lady, which includes a beautiful three-tiered tray with scones, served with strawberry preserves and clotted cream, as well as an assortment of delicate finger sandwiches and miniature desserts.

•A relaxing weekend at the Dahlonega Spa Resort is another highlight from the year. As you wind up the drive to the Dahlonega Spa Resort, you are surrounded by rolling countryside as you pass by a small pond and head to the white house on top of the hill. It’s such a beautiful spot. To make the weekend even more perfect, I had holistic massage that soothes and relaxes aching muscles and leaves you relaxed and refreshed.

•Seeing Colin Chandler, an 11-year-old Commerce boy and former student of my sister, perform at Country Tonite in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. My family has gone to see this show for years and we always love it. It was even more special this past year to see a local face on the stage. Colin Chandler is a natural talent who is a featured vocalist and fiddle player. He is also wonderful interacting with the audience and the cast. He has a long career

ahead of him in the entertainment industry and will make the Commerce area proud of his accomplishments.
•While in East Tennessee, my nephew and I enjoyed exploring Coal Creek, which has over 300 miles of off-road adventure trails for the family. You will find beautiful views of the mountains and countryside of East Tennessee. It is here that you will find some of the most scenic views and natural beauty of the area. Visitors to Coal Creek can explore the trails on ATVs, motorcycles, mountains bikes, horses, jeeps and rail buggies. We loved checking out the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Windmill farm, which has 18 huge, white windmills that are providing electricity to 3,000 homes.

•The wonderful food festival, “Euphoria,” held in Greenville, South Carolina. Once a year, the community rolls out the red carpet for nationally renowned food experts. They are coupled with Greenville’s finest culinary artists to create a wonderful event for foodies. I loved trying all of the dishes, as well as checking out the entertainment. Edwin McCain is one of the organizers of the event and he always performed.

2012 was a great year for travel, and I’m looking forward to all of the adventures that are coming up this year.

Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.