Halloween is right around the corner, and if you don’t have a costume yet, you’re probably not alone. After all, there are two types of people: those who’ve had their costumes planned since July and those who wait until the last minute. If you’re a last-minute Lucy, don’t fret! We’ve rounded up four second-hand stores that’ll help you piece together an epic costume! These local Newport Beach shops are home to a variety of vintage clothing and accessories that’ll surely spark some inspo this season. Happy shopping!
Located on Newport Boulevard, Swellegant Vintage Clothing brings authentic apparel and accessories from the 1940s through the 1990s to Newport Beach. This brick & mortar store is practically a vintage museum—the perfect place for someone looking for a “throwback” costume this Halloween. From ‘50s-style skirts, headscarves and high-waisted belts to ‘80s prom dresses and ‘70s bell bottoms, you’re sure to find an era that fits you best!
This consignment shop in the heart of Corona del Mar is a one-stop-shop for all your costume inspo! Carrying mostly pre-owned designer clothing and accessories for both men and women, Recycled Rags makes costume shopping a breeze! Here, you’ll find everything from suede jackets and leather handbags to Chanel shoes and Luis Vuitton belts. The shop is always bringing in new pieces, and everything is authenticated, so you know you’re getting the real deal for a good deal!
Also located in Corona del Mar, On Que Style is Orange County’s premier designer resale and consignment company. Owner Kirsten Prosser brought her dream of owning her own boutique to life by creating a shop that resembles a “walk-in closet” full of luxury designer apparel, handbags, shoes and accessories. On Que Style carries items from top designers like Cartier, Chanel, David Yurman, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and more. And while most folks don’t shop designer when it comes to Halloween costumes, they’ll be pleased to know that each item in the store is reasonably priced, making On Que Style a place for everyone.
Hey mamas! Let’s not forget about the kiddos. If you’re in need of an easy costume for your little one, Young Seconds is a great children’s resale shop. With everything from patterned onesies to cheetah print coats, you’ll love the selection of second-hand goods here! Young Seconds even has a selection of hand-me-down children’s Halloween costumes, such as this Chasing Fireflies Arabian Genie costume! Stop by and browse their collection of rotating goods—you’re sure to find something for the kids to wear at this charming consignment shop!
Written By: Kaylin Waizinger
Just an hour away from iconic Nashville, Tennessee, lies the far lesser-known Clarksville. Although this charming Southern town has flown mostly under the tourism radar, you may be surprised at how many awesome things there are to do in Clarksville. If you’re a lover of quaint towns and are always looking for ways to learn about local cultures, this is the perfect destination for you.
Here are 16 stops to make on your Clarksville itinerary:
Roxy Theatre is known as the cornerstone for local entertainment in Clarksville, and its brilliant façade captures the magic of its old-school vibe. The corner of Franklin and First was the location of the town’s first movie theater in 1913, the Lillian. After two fires and subsequent rebuilds, it reopened as the Roxy in 1947. The theatre has undergone many transformations and nowadays hosts both live performances and film screenings.
Customs House calls itself the intersection of history, art, and culture in Clarksville. What better way kick off your visit than to take a stroll through one of the city’s best museums?
The building was first used as a post office and customs house (hence the present-day name) beginning in 1878. Its architecture makes it stand out from the rest of downtown because of its ornate detail and classic façade.
The exhibits themselves are varied, and the museum regularly hosts hands-on activities and special events. With 35,000 square feet of exhibit space, you’re sure to find something to captivate you.
Feed your curiosity for all things of the past with a visit to the Historic Collinsville Pioneer Settlement. Located just south of Clarksville, this preserved pioneer community features 40 rolling acres of land. You’ll find 16 restored log homes and outbuildings, complete with authentic furnishings and artifacts. From handmade toys and clothing to important tools, you’ll be able to see how early American settlers lived.
This open-air museum is open from June 5 to October 30 for the 2021 season. Keep an eye out for the 2022 schedule!
Embark on one of the most exciting ways to experience Clarksville: the Clarksville Scavenger Hunt. This self-guided tour-meets-scavenger hunt is perfect for small groups. And it will get your competitive juices flowing as you go head-to-head with your friends to see who can find the landmarks first.
The hunt takes between 1.5 and 2 hours and takes you to some of Clarksville’s most iconic buildings and landmarks.
This remarkable 144-acre state park is the site of cave art by Mississippian Native Americans, dating back to the 14th century. The art is still visible today and includes paintings of concentric circles, warrior figures, and other culturally significant symbols.
You can tour Dunbar Cave to see the paintings up close with a local guide. Afterward, head out on a hike on one of the park’s many wooded trails.
Port Royal, built by enslaved men, women, and children, was a booming regional tobacco town with an important place in American history. The present-day historic park is part of the National Trail of Tears. Between the stories of Cherokee people who were forced to flee their home and those of enslaved people, there is so much to learn here.
This 30-acre park has historical tours available and two easy walking trails to explore.
Hitting up the Clarksville Greenway is the perfect way to get outside and see the beauty of the area. Situated on an abandoned railbed on the north side of town, this trail will take you along a creek and under canopies of trees for a total of nine miles. Visitors can enjoy biking, walking, and jogging while spotting wildlife and admiring the gorgeous scenery.
Access points to the Clarksville Greenway (with parking) are in Heritage Park, on Pollard Road, and in Mary’s Oak Drive Park, where you’ll find parking. You can also rent a bike from the town’s bike-sharing program, BCycle, at the Pollard Road trailhead.
This two-mile riverfront promenade is the best place in Clarksville to have a picnic or catch a festival while you’re in town. Take a stroll along the Cumberland River or rent a bike from the city’s bike-sharing program, BCycle. You can also stop at the As the River Flows Museum in the park to learn about Clarksville’s river history.
Take a big breath of fresh air at the 111.3-acre Rotary Park, where you’ll find over five miles of trails to explore. Bring a picnic to enjoy at one of the many tables and grills, or bring your bike along for an exciting ride. Rotary Park is great for nature lovers and also home to an epic 18-hole disc golf course, plus an area for playing horseshoes. Sounds to me like a recipe for a perfect day spent outdoors!
Clarksville Marina at Liberty Park has a commitment to preserving the city’s natural resources by providing educational resources to cultivate a love for the outdoors. Here you’ll find a fishing pond, a dog park, sports fields, and walking trails. Boat rentals are also available if you want to get out onto the river for the day. This is one of Clarksville’s newer parks, and it has grown tremendously in popularity since it opened, so check it out to see what all the hype is about!
What was once an important hub of activity for Native Americans eventually became a fort for Confederate troops during the Civil War. It was then captured by Union forces, renamed, and after some time became a magnet for runaway and freed enslaved people — and that’s only the complicated history of this park in a nutshell. You’ll have to visit Fort Defiance Civil War Park & Interpretive Center and get fully immersed in all there is to learn about this important landmark.
This distillery focuses on small-batch artisan products and is as homegrown as it gets. Stop in to the Bottle Shop or Craft Cocktail Bar for a taste of Old Glory’s best concoctions, or go on a tour of the facility to learn more about the company and how it operates.
This distillery prides itself on its commitment to handcrafting spirits the right way. It even claims to only use grains that are grown from local farmers. If you get excited about supporting local businesses while you travel, this is an excellent place to start that is also more than meets the eye.
As the oldest single-family-owned winery in Tennessee, this is the place to go to try local wines. Beachaven has a stellar reputation in Clarksville, so you won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to get a hands-on look at the grounds and winemaking facility. Tours are available on weekends by appointment only, so make sure to plan ahead!
This eclectic destination is a can’t-miss stop on your Clarksville itinerary if you want to do some shopping. There are over 200 vendors Miss Lucille’s Marketplace selling antiques, vintage clothing, handmade goods, and everything in between. This is the perfect place for anyone who loves a mix of old and new, rare finds and local treasures. There’s also a delicious local café and coffee shop to fuel up while spending an afternoon shopping.
This one is for all the creative souls out there who need an artistic fix while they travel. Courtney’s Creative Palette+ is an art studio that hosts classes and workshops, including canvas painting, pottery, glass, and wood creations. This locally owned spot has women running the show, which I think makes it extra special. Consider taking a class while you visit Clarksville, so you can have something unique and handmade to bring home.
As a hub for Clarksville’s art scene, you can’t skip out on a stop at Downtown Artists Co-op to see what locals are creating. Not only is this one of the best places to buy work directly from the artists, but it’s also a great place to take a workshop or class while you’re in town.
Downtown Artists Co-op has both a gallery exhibition space and a window gallery for guests to enjoy. It also hosts an art walk the first Thursday of each month so you can really soak up all the artistic energy of Clarksville.
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There you have it: the best things to do in Clarksville, Tennessee! If this lovely town wasn’t on your list of places to visit in the South, consider popping in if you’re on a road trip through the South or tacking it onto your Nashville itinerary or Great Smoky Mountains trip.
Have you stopped in Clarksville? Let us know if we missed your favorite spot there!
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Houston is known as a diverse metropolis, not only because of its multicultural population but also because of how many unique things there are to do there. As the fourth-largest city in the USA, it’s home to a wide variety of museums, events, outdoor spaces, and more. The best part is that so many of them are free!
Here are the top 20 free things to do in Houston:
The Water Wall is a 64-foot fountain and art installation at the base of Williams Tower. It’s a definite must-see while exploring downtown and the perfect backdrop for an awesome Instagram photo.
If you get as excited about discovering a new city’s street art scene, this map of Houston’s murals is a dream come true. Use it to check out murals near any of the other sites you visit, or make a day out of walking around Houston looking for street art.
This museum is truly one of a kind. Featuring eclectically decorated cars, along with other unique contemporary art, the Art Car Museum challenges societal expectations of what art “should” be. While the cars are the focus of the museum, you’ll also find pieces from relatively unknown artists. This is because the museum’s mission is to “encourage the public’s awareness of the cultural, political, economic, and personal dimensions of art.”
Admission to the Art Car Museum is free. Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11am to 6pm.
If you’re an art buff, Houston is the city for you. The art scene here is pretty underrated if you consider the hype that cities like New York and Chicago get for their abundance of museums. Houston has plenty of world-class art museums, and many of them, like Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, are completely free.
The CAMH has a quirky, out-of-the-box collection that is both educational and fun. The museum is open from 12pm to 6pm, Wednesday through Sunday. See the CAMH’s website for more details.
The Menil Collection has over 16,000 works and continues to grow, providing visitors with a diverse viewing experience. It houses pieces dating from all the way back to the Paleolithic era up until today. Beyond the impressive global collection inside, there is also an outdoors sculpture garden. With so much to see, you could spend the entire day exploring!
The Menil Collection is always free to the public and is open Wednesday through Sunday, 7am to 11pm. For more information on reserving a timed-entry ticket, go here.
This is yet another free art museum — and we’re definitely not complaining! The Blaffer Art Museum, on the University of Houston’s campus, has a mission of fostering engagement and dialogue between creators and visitors through special exhibits and programming.
You can visit the Blaffer Art Museum by making a reservation. Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 12pm to 5pm.
Located on the campus of Rice University is James Turrell’s Twilight Epiphany Skyspace. At sunrise and sunset, the space offers a free LED light show that showcases the natural beauty of dusk and dawn. To see the early show, which begins 40 minutes before sunrise, you must arrive one hour before sunrise. For the sunset show, which begins 10 minutes before sunset, arrive a half hour early.
The Skyspace is free to visit, and shows are free as well. There is no need for reservations. You can visit any day of the week except Tuesdays.
Also on Rice University’s campus is the Moody Center for the Arts, which is dedicated to transdisciplinary collaboration in the sciences, humanities, and arts. Inside the center is a theater and two gallery spaces: one houses rotating art exhibits, while the other is specifically for experimental performance.
The Moody Center for the Arts is free, and open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm.
Unlike typical art museums that focus mostly on paintings and sculptures, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft showcases artisans who work with unique materials: wood, clay, fibers, glass, metal, etc. The museum focuses on artistic innovation and offers a look at types of art that are often overlooked.
Visiting the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is free to the public Thursday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm. For more information on visiting during the pandemic, go here.
From March through November, this awesome outdoor theater hosts a variety of performances that are completely free to the public. There are movie nights, live concerts, theater performances, cultural events, and more at this epic venue. The theater is BYOB, and lawn seating is available in addition to the theater seats. Spend an evening with friends picnicking and watching a live performance in one of Houston’s most beloved spaces.
Tickets are available here; you must reserve them ahead of time.
Twenty feet underground, there is a system of tunnels under Houston’s downtown area that is more than six miles long, connecting 95 city blocks. In fact, they also connect various buildings, allowing pedestrians to travel from one place to another without needing to go outdoors. In the tunnels, you’ll find retail shops and restaurants, making it a neat place to explore while you’re downtown.
You can find a map of the tunnels here.
This historic park hosts several free events throughout the year. The most popular one is the Movies Under the Stars series, which screens popular films in the park for free. Houston residents and visitors alike enjoy strolling around the neighborhood to check out local restaurants and bars before heading to the park for an outdoor movie.
Check out Market Square Park’s calendar for the screening schedule. No reservations are necessary, but these events tend to fill up. Make sure to get there early to scope out a good spot!
Every first Saturday of the month in historic Houston Heights, you can browse the First Saturday Art Market and check out artworks and handmade goods from local artisans. Expect to see artists selling paintings, photography prints, sculptures, and more.
The market is open from 11am to 6pm. Here you can find more information about where to find the market and how to get there.
As one of the city’s largest green spaces, the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is a must-see. Take a break from the bustle of the city to explore the center’s five miles of nature trails in this huge, 155-acre sanctuary. You might even forget that you are in a city! The center has free exhibits where visitors can learn about native plant and animal species, all while enjoying the greenery and fresh air.
This attraction certainly isn’t for everyone… especially for those of you who have a fear of bats. Each evening at dusk, over 250,000 fly out from under the Waugh Drive Bridge, which extends over Buffalo Bayou. Seeing so many bats flying together in such a large city is quite a peculiar sight. You may well see other visitors or pedestrians stop near the bridge to watch the bats emerge.
This lovely public park, named after famous Houston activist, is the site of some of Houston’s biggest outdoor festivals and events. It is actually a park within a park, because it is technically part of the larger Buffalo Bayou Park. Here you’ll find a volleyball court, a garden, and plenty of green space to relax in and enjoy.
This 12-acre park is a vibrant hub in Houston. From monthly markets to pop-up music performances to outdoor sports, Discovery Green has something for everybody. Take a stroll around the park, or check out the list of events to see if you can catch one while you visit.
Many of Discovery Green’s events are free to the public but require preregistration. Once you find an event you would like to attend, make sure to reserve your spot!
Cemeteries are sometimes where you can find some of a city’s most interesting architecture and decoration. Houston is no exception, and Glenwood Cemetery proves that. Not only is it the resting place of some of Houston’s most famous residents, such as Howard Hughes and countless politicians, but it is also houses beautifully groomed gardens.
The cemetery is open and free to visit from 7am to 5:30pm every day.
If you don’t mind stepping outside the Houston city limits, the Mercer Botanic Gardens makes for the perfect afternoon excursion. The gardens span 60 acres and include bamboo, lilies, ferns, tropical plants, endangered species, and more. There are walking trails throughout the site, along with ponds and a visitor center.
The Mercer Botanic Gardens are open daily from 8am to dusk. You can find more information on how to visit here.
Take a leisurely 90-minute round-trip boat tour along the Houston Ship Channel — for free! This educational tour provides historical details about the city from an experienced guide, while watching large freight ships go in and out of the port.
You must make reservations to join the tour, which you can do here. (The tours are currently postponed, so keep an eye on Port Houston’s website for updates.)
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Now that you are ready to explore Houston’s vibrant art scene, quirky museums, and beautiful green spaces, go ahead and add this stellar city to your Southern road trip.
Have you been to Houston already? Tell us your favorite thing about it! Who knows? Maybe it’ll have you going back time and time again.
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When it comes to a fish’s ability to be simultaneously majestic and athletic, none can quite compare to billfish. And while all the marlins, spearfish and swordfish on our blue planet are impressive in their own right, I’ve always thought there to be something truly mesmerizing about one billfish in particular: the sailfish (Istiophorus).
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Weighing up to about 200 pounds and measuring anywhere from six to 11 feet in length, these striking pelagic creatures are, of course, called “sailfish” for a reason. They credit their name to their massive sail-like dorsal fin, which bears quite the resemblance to (you guessed it) the sail of a ship. Often stretching the entire length of the animal’s body, the sail of a sailfish is truly an incredible sight to behold—but it’s also not all for show! Today, I’m here to share some sensational facts about these brilliant billfish, from their famed “sails” to their impressive speed and everything in between.
How to recognize a sailfish
It probably comes as no surprise that these unique-looking swimmers have quite a few distinguishing features. First, there’s that massive, jaw-dropping sail (their dorsal fin) that graces the back of their bodies. These sails are sometimes taller than the rest of the fish’s body! While this trademark sail serves a number of purposes (we’ll dive into that in a moment), it’s important to note that these fish don’t always swim with their sails extended as they’re often depicted in photos. Keeping the sail folded down helps the fish streamline its physique in order to swim faster and more efficiently, so this famous feature isn’t always quite so obvious to an observer.
Apart from their dorsal fins, sailfish have long, pronounced bills that form as a result of their upper jaws protruding heavily beyond their lower jaws (this, of course, is what makes them members of the billfish club!). One way to differentiate between sailfish and other billfish is by paying close attention to the sides of the fish’s body. Sailfish have up to 20 vertical stripes of faint dots on their sides which are typically bluish in color.
Where they live
You can find most sailfish in tropical and temperate waters around the world. These fish are migratory, moving closer to the equator when the waters are cooler in autumn and returning to higher latitudes as the summer months near. Sailfish belong to a largely pelagic species, meaning that they live the vast majority of their lives in the open ocean, usually hanging out closer to the water’s surface. They’re not afraid to dive deep when it comes to hunting for food, however. In fact, these determined predators have been known to visit depths of more than 1,000 feet below the surface in search of their next meal.
When it comes to hunting prey, sailfish are the track stars of the ocean
Sailfish have quite a few favorite prey, including smaller fish such as sardines, anchovies and occasionally mackerel. Sailfish in the Atlantic Ocean even eat cephalopods, too (think smaller octopus or squid). Since they spend most of their time gallivanting through the waters of the open ocean, sailfish get plenty of practice when it comes to tapping into top-notch speeds to hunt. They are often spotted working in pairs or small groups and using their sails to herd their prey around. And, when chasing after a school of fish (aka a combo meal), these fierce swimmers never fear a challenge. They’re known to fold their fins back completely, their bodies resembling a torpedo as they dash toward their targets at speeds of up to 68 miles per hour. Because of this, sailfish are widely regarded as the fastest animals to call our ocean home.
Sailfish in Paradise: Their valiant fight for love
Another area in which sailfish are fearless? Romance, of course! When mating season arrives, females will extend their brilliant dorsal fins to show off to curious males nearby. These males are known to be quite aggressive in their pursuit of a mate, often competing with other suitors in an intense race as they chase after the female to see who is strong and fast enough to make it to her first. Once a male and female sailfish are finally paired, they engage in what’s called broadcast spawning, where males and females pair up and release their eggs and sperm into the water beside each other. Females can release millions of eggs at once to increase the chance of fertilization. One more quick fact:when it comes to baby sailfish, these fish start out very tiny! Recently-hatched larvae usually measure only a couple millimeters in length, with most of their growth happening within the first year of their lives (that’s a lot of growth in a short span of time).
Modern threats to our ocean’s sailfish
As glorious as our ocean’s sailfish are, there are man-made risks that still pose a threat to their survival. Because of their beauty and speed and the challenge they pose to recreational fishers, sailfish are often caught and released by sport anglers, but they’re not permitted to be fished commercially in U.S. waters. Even though they’re rarely sought after for anything but catch-and-release fishing, there’s still a quiet but prominent danger that lurks beneath the surface for these animals: ghost gear.
“Ghost gear” refers to any fishing gear that is abandoned, lost or discarded into marine environments, including items such as fishing nets, long lines, stationary traps and any other human-made device used to catch marine animals. Because fishing gear is designed to capture marine organisms, it can continue to do so long after the gear is lost or discarded into the sea. When these pieces of gear continue to “fish” even after being lost or discarded, it is called “ghost fishing.” Adult sailfish don’t have many natural predators in the open ocean, but the risk of encountering ghost gear for sailfish and countless other species is ever-present in the waters where they live.
That’s why Ocean Conservancy’s Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) is working every day on the frontlines of developing and supporting innovative solutions to combat ghost fishing, working with partners around the world both to remove ghost gear currently lost at sea and prevent more from being discarded in the future.
Dive in today and learn how you can help protect sailfish by supporting the GGGI and the work this program is doing to combat this dangerous form of marine debris here.
The post The Sailfish is the Fastest Fish in the World appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
The long Thanksgiving holiday weekend is the perfect time of year for a family reunion or getaway at The Beach! The Myrtle Beach area takes entertaining our holiday visitors seriously, and there is plenty going on around turkey day this year. Below we’ve included a round-up of events happening Thanksgiving week in Myrtle Beach, along with a list of just some (because there are countless!) restaurants offering special Thanksgiving menus and buffets. There is no shame in skipping the kitchen this Thanksgiving—especially when so many fantastic Myrtle Beach area restaurants offer great dining out options!
50th Annual South Carolina Bluegrass Festival
Myrtle Beach Convention Center, 2101 N. Oak Street, Myrtle Beach
November 25 – 37, 2021
12 to 10:30 p.m., Daily
With around 20 artists performing, you’re sure to find a favorite at the South Carolina Bluegrass Festival.
12th Annual Surfside Rotary Turkey Trot
Surfside Pier, Surfside Drive and Ocean Boulevard, Surfside Beach
November 25, 2021
8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
The 12th Annual Surfside Rotary Turkey Trot is one of the area’s largest annual races. The race benefits the Surfside Beach Rotary Club. Participants can register to run a 10K, 5K or 1-mile race. And kids run for free in the one-file fun run!
15th Annual Myrtle Beach Turkey Trot
Valor Park at The Market Common, 1150 Farrow Parkway, Myrtle Beach
November 25, 2021
8 to 10:30 a.m.
It starts and finishes at the beautiful Valor Park at The Market Common. Money raised will be donated to the Myrtle Beach Humane Society. Free tot trot for kids. Participants can register to run an 8K, 5K or 1-mile race.
37th Annual Intracoastal Christmas Regatta
Intracoastal Waterway from Little River to Dock Holidays Marina
November 27, 2021
5 to 7 p.m.
Each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the curtain rises on this spectacular maritime Christmas boat parade. Gather your family and watch the parade as it passes various viewing areas along the waterway from Little River to Dock Holidays Marina. For more information, visit ChristmasRegatta.com.
Cypress Room
600- N. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach
Enjoy a Thanksgiving feast fit for a king at the Island Vista Resort’s Cypress Room restaurant. Thanksgiving dinner platings will take place from 11 am to 2 pm, and special dinners will also be offered for Christmas Eve 5:30 to 9 pm and New Years Eve 5:30 to 9:30 pm. Reservations are recommended. Call 843-449-6406.
Chesnut Hill Restaurant
9922 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach
Chestnut Hill is hosting a Thanksgiving Day buffet from 11 am to 7 pm with a mix of traditional favorites along with treats from the sea. Call for reservations, 843-449-3984.
Thoroughbreds Chophouse & Seafood Grille
9706 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach
Enjoy Thoroughbreds Chophouse annual Thanksgiving Day buffet from 11 am to 7 pm. Call 843-497-2636 to reserve your family’s table today.
Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant
1401 29th Avenue North, Myrtle Beach
Captain George’s will be open from 11:30 to 9 pm with a special Thanksgiving Day buffet menu featuring a variety of seafood favorites, including crab legs, shrimp, salmon and Oysters Rockefeller. Turkey and ham will also be served along with sides such as gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mac and cheese. Call 843-916-2278.
Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen
1202 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach
Enjoy a special Thanksgiving menu of downhome favorites. No reservation required. Call 843-945-1072 for menu.
Gulfstream Café
1536 Waccamaw Dr., Garden City
This oceanfront spot known for its seafood is open from 11 am to 8 pm on Thanksgiving Day for its annual holiday buffet dinner. Reservations are required. Call 843-651-8808.
Wahoo’s Fish House
3993 U.S. 17 Business, Murrells Inlet
Join us for Thanksgiving at Wahoo’s from 11 am to 4 pm Thanksgiving Day. Check out the seafood and traditional Thanksgiving buffet menu. Call 843-651-5800 today to reserve your table.
New York Prime
405 28th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Skip the turkey and feast on USDA Prime beef this Thanksgiving at New York Prime. The restaurant is open 5 to 10 pm Thanksgiving Day. Call for reservations, 843-448-8081.
Hungry Howie’s Pizza
1601 S. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Who needs a traditional meal when you’re at The Beach? If you’re too busy enjoying the sun and sand to weigh yourself down with turkey and fixins’, Hungry Howie’s has you covered. With their tasty pizza and flavored crusts, they are open for pickup or delivery on Thanksgiving Day and 365 days per year. Call 843-444-2000 to place an order.
Another thing worth mentioning is the amazing lineup of Black Friday shopping opportunities. Browse our Black Friday listings or check back soon for a blog update on where you’ll be able to find the best holiday weekend shopping deals!
It’s hard to fully comprehend just how BIG whales are—until you see them with your very own eyes. Someone can tell you a humpback whale is bigger than a school bus, but I don’t think that fully conveys the immensity. That is why I LOVE museums. While working for a few years in New Bedford, Massachusetts, I was a frequent visitor to the New Bedford Whaling Museum. I would sneak over there on my lunch break to wander around and learn all I could about whales. I can still remember feeling very, very small standing underneath the blue whale skeleton, Kobo, on display high above. The whale spanned the length of the room—it was huge!
There is a maximum weight relative to an animal’s volume above which its legs would collapse and life on land would be impossible. Water’s buoyancy counteracts the gravitational pull on the body, so aquatic animals can grow larger than land animals.
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Here are the top five biggest whales in the ocean. Let’s count them down.
5. Bowhead Whale (59 feet)
Bowhead whales live in the icy Arctic and subarctic waters. The bowhead is the fifth largest whale in the ocean, reaching up to 60 feet in length. Bowhead whales are among the heaviest animals on Earth—weighing 75-100 tons. The only whale that weighs more is the blue whale. Bowhead whales are big, heavy and long-lived! Rounding out their impressive traits, bowhead whales are among the longest-living animals in the entire world, with some scientists estimating maximum lifespans of up to 200 years.
4. North Atlantic Right Whale (60 feet)
The North Atlantic right whale represents the most critically endangered populations of large whales in the world. Currently, North Atlantic right whale populations are estimated to be fewer than 440 individuals. North Atlantic right whales can grow between 45 and 60 feet and weigh up to 70 tons. They have long arching mouths that begins above the eye and rows of baleen plates hanging on each side of their upper jaws.
3. Sperm Whale (60 feet)
Sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales and use sonar (echolocation) to hunt prey and to sense the world around them. The sound waves they emit are so powerful that human divers swimming near the whales can feel the pulses. The sound bounces off objects in the water and returns to the whale, whose brain creates an image based on the signals. Sperm whales are among the world’s deepest divers. When hunting squid, a sperm whale may spend as much as an hour on a dive to more than 3,000 feet, where the temperature hovers at 36 degrees Fahrenheit and the pressure is more than 1,400 pounds per square inch.
2. Fin Whale (90 feet)
Coming in at second place, the fin whale is the second-largest species on Earth. Fin whales got their name from easy-to-see fins on their backs. Sometimes referred to as the “greyhound of the sea,” the fin whale can swim at astonishing speeds of up to 28 miles per hour. And, with such a large stomach to fill, the fin whale can eat up to 4,400 pounds of krill every day! That’s a lot of krill.
1. Blue Whale (100 feet)
The blue whale is the largest animal that ever lived (yes, including dinosaurs). A blue whale can grow up to 100 feet long and weigh up to 200 tons. Their hearts alone are the size of a small car! Despite their size, they keep their eyes low on the food chain: they eat krill which are small crustaceans that grow to about three inches in size. A blue whale can eat up to four tons of krill in a day.
Many whale species are endangered—like the blue whale and North Atlantic right whale. Whales are at risk from ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. Krill, their prey of choice, is also at risk due to climate change. The good news? Here at Ocean Conservancy, we’re fighting to keep blue whales, as well as other vulnerable ocean animals, safe from these threats.
Consider making a donation to Ocean Conservancy today—give today and make a difference for the future of our ocean!
Learn more about our efforts to reduce and remove ghost fishing gear, support safer shipping methods and address climate change.
The post Top 5 Biggest Whales in the Ocean appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
Nothing beats a warm pastry on a foggy fall morning. Whether you prefer a savory butter croissant, a sweet scone or a gooey cinnamon roll, there’s no better way to treat yourself this season than with a fresh-baked delicacy. And while Newport Beach may be known for its wild-caught seafood and cold-pressed juice shops, there are still plenty of places to indulge. With that said, we’ve rounded up seven of the best bakeries in town, so the next time your “carb” cravings kick in, you’ll know exactly where to go.
When it comes to baking, nobody does it quite like the French do. And Laurent Vrignaud brings true Parisian flair to Newport Beach with his authentic French cafe, Moulin. With a glass counter full of fresh pastries and classic plats du jour on the menu, you’ll fall in love with all the flakey goodness this bistro has to offer.
Coffee isn’t the only thing Java Bakery Café does well. This quaint coffee shop, located just across the bridge of Balboa Island, serves up a variety of cafe-style eats, including fresh-baked pastries and a full breakfast and lunch menu. Snack on offerings like breakfast bagels, breakfast burritos, smoothies, paninis, salads, soups, wraps and more!
C’est Si Bon’s dark-roasted coffee and assortment of Euro-style breads and pastries have attracted a flock of locals since its opening. Surfers typically stop here in the morning before catching some waves, but in the afternoon, you’ll find a well-heeled Newport-Mesa crowd in search of a leisurely afternoon brew. Be sure to try a slice of the bombe cake—a white and dark chocolate mousse creation covered with a rich chocolate shell!
Pandor Artisan Boulangerie & Café
Founded on family history, cherished recipes and exceptional ingredients, Pandor Artisan Boulangerie & Café is a haven for fresh-baked goods. This Newport Beach cafe specializes in authentic French artisan breads, viennoiseries, pastries, tartines, paninis and salads. Stop in for a full breakfast or a light lunch and enjoy the cozy ambiance of this local bakery!
New to the Lido Marina Village scene, Rye Goods is an organic bakery and deli specializing in sourdough, wild yeast and freshly milled heritage grains. Stop in for fresh-baked loaves and pastries, including croissants, scones and sesame, sourdough and apple cider bread. Be sure to also check out their seasonal menu for fall favorites like the vegan pumpkin muffin, apple turnover and peach snail—nutmeg pastry cream with Cali Farms peaches and glaze!
Tucked in the heart of Corona del Mar, Rose Bakery Cafe is a neighborhood nook with goods like pastries, sandwiches, coffee and smoothies. Snag a seat on the shady outdoor patio for a relaxing breakfast or leisurely lunch. And when it comes to ordering, we recommend one of their loaded breakfast burritos or buttermilk pancake platters, which come with two scrambled eggs, two slices of bacon and a sausage patty.
For those with a hearty sweet tooth, head to Balboa Island Baking Company on Balboa Island for one of their signature cinnamon rolls! These gooey treats are baked fresh daily from scratch, along with their muffins, scones and cookies. And those with allergies and food sensitivities can rejoice; Balboa Island Baking Company offers a variety of healthy items too that are gluten-free and vegan. Pro tip: kids love the whale-shaped sugar cookies!
Written By: Kaylin Waizinger
